June 18, 2024

Frankfurt, Germany, June 18, 2024. The European Hearing Instrument Manufacturers Association (EHIMA) reports that global hearing aid sales by its members, the world’s largest and leading hearing instrument manufacturers, grew by 7.7% to a total 21.81 million units in 2023.

“The impact of hearing loss on people‘s quality of life is evident, and the latest aggregate numbers show that awareness and action to seek hearing care is steadily increasing,“ says EHIMA President Arnd Kaldowski. “This is thanks to our members and partners, such as medical, professional and patients’ organizations., benefitting millions of people, worldwide.”


EuroTrak, EHIMA’s multi-national survey series of people living with hearing loss, shows that awareness of the various benefits of hearing care has increased in several countries (1).

In the year 2022, 96% of hearing aid users surveyed in France, the UK and Germany report a higher quality of life after having been fitted with hearing aids. For 92%, hearing aids are useful in their jobs. 62% regret not having adopted hearing aids earlier (2).

The European Hearing Instrument Manufacturers Association (EHIMA)
The European Hearing Instrument Manufacturers Association (EHIMA) represents the world’s major hearing instrument manufacturers, offering smart hearing aid and implant solutions for people living with hearing loss.

Members of EHIMA develop, manufacture and market hearing instruments on a large scale in one or more countries in Europe as well as export their products, worldwide.

Key Facts on Hearing Loss
• 1 in 10 of the total EU population states a hearing loss.*
• Only 1 in 3 of people living with hearing loss uses hearing aids.*
• Untreated hearing loss costs EU and UK each year 185 billion euros.**
• Hearing aids and hearing implants help to reduce these costs.**

Source: *EuroTrak; **Bridget Shield (2019): Hearing Loss – Numbers and Costs, Brunel University London; both available at www.ehima.com

Press Contact
For political and general inquiries:
Dr. Stefan Zimmer, EHIMA Secretary General
Herriotstrasse 1, 60528 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
E-mail: sz@ehima.com

For technical inquiries:
Dr. Rob Drullman, Secretary of the EHIMA Technical Committee
E-mail: tc@ehima.com
www.ehima.com

(1) Source: www.ehima.com/surveys
(2) Pooled data from EuroTrak surveys in France, UK and Germany (all done in 2022). The respective surveys can be accessed at www.ehima.com/surveys