Specavers hearing aids - Is this anti-competitive behaviour?

born_again

daveystocker said:

What CRA obligations are you thinking of, i.e. what do you believe requires a merchant to make later discretionary adjustments to items they've sold previously?

A cynical attempt to build in obsolescence to prevent a second hand market. Compared to a hearing aid a mobile phone is an incredibly sophisticated device but it can be given a factory re-set and passed on to AN Other.

Would you want that in your ear?

Mrs broke her ankle a couple of years ago & had to wear on of the strap on boots. When no longer required went to take it back. They said sorry no can do. Despite only being walked on in house. Hygiene & other reasons.
Only option was a charity would take them & send oversea's.

herebeme

In the UK the NHS will take back hearing aids they’ve provided and refurbish them for other patients. 

In the UK you can donate old hearing aids to be refurbished for people in developing countries. Try this organisation: https://lionsclubs.co/Public/

In other countries like USA and Netherlands there is actually a small second hand market for hearing aids! 

The main reason there isn’t a big second hand market is they all need a lot of refurbishment as even behind the ear (BTE) models are fitted to the size of your ear shell, and depth and size of the canal, so the bit that wraps over and in the ear needs to be fitted to the actual patient as does the bit that goes inside the ear. Then the software in the unit that sits behind the ear needs to programmed to the individual’s auditory needs, factory reset is useless and potentially unsafe. The model an audiologist recommends will vary based on your auditory needs and life style and budget. Then aesthetically it’s a very varied choice, colour, size, weight. Some units just don’t feel right for some people. 

So you need a professional to share options with you, you don’t want to buy off eBay! 

The cost of the aid often includes more than the hardware: with my aid, I don’t pay for annual check ups or annual tuning, replacement of the behind the ear wire (this needs replacing annually as it gets soft), or any issue that arises that is not my fault). 

For an in the ear (ITE) unit the entire outer casing would need removing as it’s moulded to the individual’s ear canal. So refurb is even harder. And probably not cost effective. 

sheramber

Refurbishing a hearing aid for someone else will involve the same work as making a new one since everypart will need to customised to the person. 

So, it is not worth refurbishing.

NHS is bering the cost either way so is not the same as a private entity.