Hearing Industries Association released its annual statistical report of U.S. hearing instrument sales for 2008 with nineteen companies reporting data.
Based on this survey of member companies, the combined total of all US hearing instrument sales for 2008 was reported at 2,407,559 instruments, down 17,660 instruments or .73% from 2007. This number reflects combined totals for both Veteran's Administration dispensing activity and commercial (non-VA) sales. Separately, commercial (non-VA) hearing instrument sales saw a 6.56% decline in Q4 2008, and an overall decrease of 51,522 units or 2.48% in 2008 as compared to 2007. VA dispensing activity grew by 33,862 instruments or 9.83% in 2008 as compared to 2007. Overall, instruments sold to the VA accounted for 16% of the hearing instrument market in 2008.
Behind-the-ear instruments accounted for 57% of all US hearing instrument sales in 2008, up from 51% in 2007. 2008 was the first year that data were available for BTE sales by battery size. In 2008, BTEs utilizing a size 13 battery represented about half of overall BTE sales. In Q1 2008 those utilizing a size 10 and size 312 battery both represented approximately 20% of the market. End of the year totals, however, indicate that favor seems to be shifting toward the slightly larger 312, which made up nearly 26% of BTE sales for 2008, while those utilizing a size 10 battery decreased to 17%. Not surprisingly, sales of analog instruments continued to decline, comprising 3% of hearing instrument sales in 2008, compared to 8% in 2007.
HIA Releases Hearing Instrument Sales Statistics for 2008
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