Four-year peak for UK and Ireland hearing instrument sales
Hearing aid manufacturers have announced peak Q1 four-year figures for sales in the UK and Ireland, showing the market is on the way to making up for losses during the pandemic.
BIHIMA – the British Irish Hearing Instrument Manufacturers Association – has released the latest UK Q1 2023 data, which show, among other highlights, that:
- UK market units have grown 1.4% compared to Q1 2022 and 12.4% on Q4 2022;
- NHS market size is up 19.1% compared to Q1 2022 and up 15% on Q4 2022;
- Irish market is up 7% over Q1 2022 and 14.7% over the previous quarter.
“Following a substantial drop throughout the pandemic, the market is steadily improving with this quarter showing promising shifts. In the UK, private units have grown by 12.4% over the previous quarter and 1.4% over the same period last year. This makes it the single biggest quarter in the preceding four years,” BIHIMA points out.
BIHIMA Chair Paul Surridge was unsurprisingly upbeat about the figures: “The latest results are encouraging. The increase in volumes mean that not only are more people seeking support, but also that the post-pandemic delays in people receiving the care and treatment they needed are being reduced. BIHIMA is optimistic that volumes will continue to rise and the market will recover the losses accrued during the COVID-19 period.”
NHS hearing instrument sales also climb on Q1 and Q4 2022
NHS units have also experienced a steady incline, with volumes up 19.1% over Q1 2022 and 15% up on Q4 2022. Much like private units, it has been the single biggest quarter in the previous four years; potentially driven by increased buy-in for hearing instruments at the end of the NHS tender period. Volumes are now back to pre-covid levels, although there is still a considerable loss yet to be regained from the 2020/2021 period.
You can download the full report here.
Source: BIHIMA
