Spain hearing aid sales rally in 2017
Figures
The annual report from the GEA (Audiological Business Group)—issued now for the last three years—shows growth in the number of hearing aids sold in Spain for the financial year, 2017, a notable climb up of 3.7% (one percentage point more) on 2016.
Although official stats are yet to come in, data from the GEA (Audiological Business Group) is providing a temperature guide to the evolution of the Spanish market, its latest balance offering cause for optimism following indications of upwards growth from 2.7% to 3.7%. And the off-the-record soundings coming back from some industry professionals concur with this picture of renewed dynamism, also confirming the thesis that the general economic crisis hit the hearing sector late and has taken its time to completely make its exit.
This reserved contentment is given added credibility by the smaller size of the population surveyed in comparison with early 2016, according to the latest data issued by the National Statistics Institute (INE), although the tendency later reversed due to the demographic rise in foreign residents in Spain, and certainly not to numbers of Spanish residents, which continue to fall.
Lower-budget aids in three out of four cases
Another trend reflected in this study indicates that 74% of the devices brought to market are basic-range, low-price models, as opposed to the remaining 26% considered “premium”. This gives an idea of the importance that price factor still has in the purchase of this technology. In terms of type of hearing aid, there is no change in the predilection of users for RITE models (40% of sales), followed by intracanal devices (25%), BTEs (20%), and Completely-in-the-Canal CIC aids (15% of the market), according to GEA Group. And for the first time in this review of Spanish figures, this group of hearing practices includes information on implants. In the case of osseointegrated technology, 3,000 have been sold in the last four years, since the first in 2013, says the same source. GEA Group also underlines that we have reached the 60th anniversary of the first ever implant, and that there are now over 50 centres in Spain that work with this solution “as one more alternative to middle and outer ear problems.
Finally, the GEA Group highlights that once again “the hearing aid has positioned itself as a trend in Christmas gifts for persons with hearing difficulties, especially among older persons; at this time of year, sales rise 18% in relation to earlier months”.
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