Europe’s hearing industry gathers for the 4th Hearing Industry Forum 

Representatives of the major hearing instrument manufacturers’ and retailers’ associations from France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Spain, the UK and the US, as well as the European-level association EHIMA, gathered to share updates on their work and trends in their markets at an annual meeting on 30-31 May.

This year’s meeting, held in Madrid, offered the representatives a chance to take stock of the market trends, and policy and regulatory challenges, at the national and international level, and to highlight some of the great initiatives taking place all over Europe and the world – from awareness raising activations at music festivals in the UK to new digital portals and upcoming EuroTrak studies on hearing aid usage.  

Representatives shared some of the great initiatives they have underway to help promote hearing aid access and raise awareness of the health consequences of untreated hearing loss. For example, the British/Irish Hearing Aid Association (BIHIMA) conducted research into the loudest sporting events and worked to provide reporting on noise levels at local events. They also partnered with theatres on a project to improve the theatre-going experience of hard of hearing people and those with hearing aids, including creating venue case studies.

Upcoming publications from the various markets will continue to raise awareness of the prevalence of hearing loss, and the role of hearing aids as a prevention and mitigation tool. For example, a forthcoming EHIMA policy paper on the benefits of hearing care will look at the prevalence of hearing loss, consequences of untreated hearing loss, the importance of person-centered hearing care and offer recommendations for policymakers.

Meanwhile the Euro and APAC-Trak surveys continue to gain traction. Academic journals and policymakers alike increasingly see the surveys – the largest comparative studies on hearing loss and the experience of hard of hearing people with their hearing instruments — as a point of reference. The EuroTrak and APAC-Trak surveys have covered 18 countries to date, with more than 750,000 people surveyed on their hearing aid use, and the publication of several new European and global editions is planned for 2025.  

What was clear from the conversations was that more collaboration amongst stakeholders is welcomed to improve hearing outcomes and ensure the hearing aid industry is poised to meet growing demands, as adoption of hearing aid technology increases and populations around the world age.  

We look forward to featuring further news and updates on these trends and topics on HearingYou.org.