NHS, UK private market and Irish market hearing instrument sales were down in the second quarter of this year compared with Q1, but volumes were still higher than the equivalent quarter in the previous three years. According to the report by the British Irish Hearing Instrument Manufacturers Association (BIHIMA), it could be that the market is starting to see a leveling off after an initial surge in catch-up sales post pandemic.
The UK private market was down 9.4% in Q2 this year compared with Q1, but sales are still higher than in all quarters in 2019 and 2020.
NHS volumes were down by 36K on Q1 this year but up 114K on Q2 last year.
Following the same trend, the Irish market was also down in Q2, with a decrease in sales of 1.4% compared with Q1, but still up by 13.6% on Q2 2021.
The sales of rechargeable products in the NHS market continue to grow, with 3.4% of all volumes being rechargeable in Q2, up from 1.4% in the first quarter.
The Irish market also showed a slight increase in sales of rechargeable products, but there was a surprise reduction in the volumes of non-NHS rechargeable products, going against the trend of the previous three quarters.
“Despite a dip in sales in quarter two of this year, volumes remain high, and I hope to see sales increase in the next quarter. I’m delighted to announce the launch of BIHIMA’s new website with a page dedicated to market data – including frequently updated numbers from manufacturers – making our data easily accessible to the industry.”
–Paul Surridge, BIHIMA Chairman
Download the Q2 2022 market data report here.
About BIHIMA:
BIHIMA represents the hearing instrument manufacturers of Britain and Ireland, working in partnership with other professional, trade, regulatory and consumer organisations within the health care and charitable sectors. We raise consumer awareness about the latest hearing technology and aim to influence government and policy makers to improve the lives of people with hearing difficulties.
Source: BIHIMA
