Adjusted for the number of sales days, the first quarter of 2013 saw slightly rising unit sales for William 
Demant Holding’s family of hearing aids, mainly driven by the surge in the elderly population, according to the company.
The company also reports that hearing aid sales in the US market were flat in the first quarter, and if adjusted for the number of sales days, growth was just under 2%, which is below historical average growth in the United States market.
The sales growth in the United States was mainly driven by Veterans Affairs sales. In Europe, the rise in unit hearing aid sales was also below the historical level, but the Japanese market had an increase in unit sales of just over 5% compared with the first quarter of 2012.
Overall, William Demant reports that its wholesale of hearing aids generated positive unit growth in the first quarter of the year, and that its group of brands, which include Oticon, Bernafon, and Sonic, captured further market shares.
The company was also very pleased with the launch of its new Oticon Alta line (pictured), as well as the new Bernafon Acriva, a high end hearing aid.
SOURCE: William Demant Holding
