Europe Mobility Aids Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Product (Rollators, Walkers), By Sector (Public, Private), By Distribution Channels (Online, Offline), By Type of Split, And Segment Forecasts, 2022 - 2030

Report Overview

The Europe mobility aids market size was valued at USD 2.8 billion in 2021 and is projected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.2% from 2022 to 2030. This growth can be attributed to the increasing geriatric population requiring Long-term Care (LTC), the growing availability of technologically advanced products, and the rising demand for home healthcare services & staff. The market is majorly driven by the growing prevalence of target diseases impairing mobility. The introduction of new mobility aids by market players is anticipated to increase the number of products available in the market and facilitate market growth. For instance, in February 2021, Invacare Corp. announced the introduction of their next-generation power assist device, the e-motion (M25).

These power assist vehicles will feature wheels with a powerful in-hub motor and lithium-ion batteries, thus expanding the company’s product portfolio and driving the market growth. The COVID-19 pandemic had significantly affected the transport and mobility sector. It had disrupted the -supply channel of the wheelchair to a great extent. Wheelchair operations were halted across several countries owing to strict lockdowns being implemented. Hospitals witnessed consistent demand owing to a spike in the number of geriatric patients with COVID-19 infection. With the ease of lockdown, companies are expected to resume operations. The U.K.private sector segment is expected to grow at a steady CAGR during the forecast period.

The iWalkActive program initiated by Ambient Assisted Living (AAL) aims to integrate the ICT technology with the conventional walkers to provide a smart walker platform for the aging European population to assist in walking. Such initiatives are anticipated to drive market growth. Furthermore, the rising geriatric population coupled with the rising prevalence of diseases, such as Parkinson’s, arthritis, and paralysis, is anticipated to increase the demand for mobility aids. For instance, in the U.K., one of the important economies in Europe, the geriatric population accounted for nearly 18.65% of the country’s population in 2020. Moreover, approximately 20,000 new cases of rheumatoid arthritis are diagnosed in the country annually, eventually increasing the demand for rehabilitation equipment.

The various funding mechanisms implemented by several European countries for aiding patients in need of LTC are also likely to support market growth. For instance, several European countries provide universal long-term care coverage. The availability of a range of long-term care funding systems, such as social insurance, private insurance, universal health coverage, and others, across European countries will greatly improve the affordability of mobility devices. In addition, England’s tax-based system prioritizes the provision of rehabilitation and rehabilitative services to patients. These factors are expected to result in lucrative growth of the market over the forecast period.

Product Insights

The wheelchairs segment dominated the market in 2021 and accounted for the largest revenue share of more than 33.00% of the revenue. This can be attributed to the high preference for wheelchairs as mobility assistive devices among the geriatric and disabled population. On the basis of products, the market has been broadly categorized into rollators, walkers, wheelchairs, and long-term care beds for home use. The wheelchairs segment has been further bifurcated into manual and powered wheelchairs. The manual wheelchair segment is sub-segmented into active, bariatric, rehabilitation, and others.

The manual wheelchair segment spearheaded the market in 2021. It accounted for a significant market share in the same year. On the other hand, the rollators segment is estimated to register the fastest growth rate during the forecast period due to various technological advancements, which have led to the availability of rollators with adjustable handle heights that enable the most comfortable and correct walking postures for patients, thereby increasing their adoption. HUMAN CARE, B, TOPRO, and Eurovema AB are some of the prominent players operating in the market for rollators.

Sector Insights

The public sector segment dominated the Europe market in 2021 and accounted for the maximum revenue share of more than 60.0% in the same year. The segment is anticipated to retain its leading position throughout the forecast years registering the fastest growth rate. This growth can be attributed to the presence of established market players, such as Invacare Corporation, which have a strong local and international distribution network. In the U.K., the public healthcare system-the National Health Service (NHS)-finances all the mobility aid devices and their services for free and is funded through taxation.

The NHS owns the devices and also pays for the repair and maintenance of the same. The patients can apply for mobility devices like wheelchairs and mobility scooters through referrals of the doctors and it is provided to the patients by NHS after assessment. The private sector is anticipated to witness substantial growth over the forecast period. The public sector is characterized by the presence of a large number of privately held companies in the market. These market players offer an array of innovative products and are actively involved in the launch of new products to outperform the market competition.

Every country in Europe has an established private sector that is involved in the funding of healthcare services to patients. For instance, in France, even though there is a compulsory social health insurance system that is financed through taxes and employee & employer payroll contributions, 90% of the population has opted for private health insurance (voluntary) that covers the remaining expenses.

Distribution Channels Insights

The offline distribution channel segment accounted for the largest revenue share of more than 66.00% in 2021. This growth was attributed to a higher preference for the offline purchase of mobility aids. Furthermore, the offline channel enables the patients to assess the comfort, seating settings, and positioning feel, thereby aiding in the selection of appropriate assistive devices, especially for a first-time user. Choosing a wheelchair also depends majorly on the lifestyle of the patient upon which he can base his requirements, for instance, indoor or outdoor use, frequency of usage, etc. These factors have resulted in increased offline purchases of assistive devices.

The online segment is anticipated to register the fastest growth over the forecast period. The major e-commerce sites offering mobility aids are Wayfair and Amazon. Moreover, the manufacturers of mobility assistive devices have their e-commerce distribution channels or online sales sites for these products. The easy availability of these products on e-commerce and online sites is anticipated to boost the market growth. Many companies like Invacare, Sunrise Medicals, Meyra, and Rehasense provide wide options for assistive medical aid devices online with products ranging from manual wheelchairs to power wheelchairs, mobility scooters, and LTS beds.

Type Of Split Insights 

On the basis of type of splits, the global market has been bifurcated into rehabilitation and aged care. The aged care type of split segment dominated the global market in 2021 and accounted for the maximum revenue share of more than 48.5% in the same year. The increasing geriatric population coupled with favorable government initiatives are the key factors driving the segment growth. For instance, according to Eurostat, the population aged above 80 years is estimated to account for nearly 14.6% of the total EU population by 2100, thereby increasing the demand for mobility aids.

The rehabilitation segment is anticipated to register the fastest growth rate in the forecast period. This growth can be attributed to the increasing demand for rehabilitation activities. Furthermore, the increasing prevalence of chronic diseases, road accidents, and spinal cord injuries has led to a rise in the demand for long-term care eventually increasing the demand for rehabilitation equipment. In addition, in 2019, the EU accounted for nearly 15.4% of the global GDP and Germany accounted for nearly 3.7% of the global GDP. The high GDP is indicative of the high purchasing power in this region and is thus, anticipated to contribute to the affordability of rehabilitation devices.

Regional Insights

The Europe regional market has been further segmented into Germany, U.K., Italy, France, Spain, Switzerland, and Poland. Germany accounted for the largest revenue share of more than 24.5% of the total market in 2021. The market in the country is also anticipated to witness lucrative growth over the forecast period. This can be attributed to the presence of advanced technologies, easy product availability, favorable reimbursement structure, and a strong healthcare system. Furthermore, Germany is one of the largest medical equipment markets, which is anticipated to contribute to the country’s overall market share.

As per the OECD data, approximately 33% of the population in Germany will be above 65 years of age and nearly 15% of the population is expected to be above 80 years of age by 2050. German residents are required to have health insurance, and around 73.2 million people are covered by statutory health insurance (Gesetzliche Krankenversicherung) (GV) Around 8.7 million Germans have private health insurance, while the rest are supported by government subsidies. The rapidly aging population is anticipated to increase the demand for mobility assistive devices and thereby drive the market growth in the country.

Key Companies & Market Share Insights

The market is highly competitive marked by the presence of a large number of domestic as well as international players. Companies are engaging in new product launches, mergers, and acquisitions to strengthen their product portfolios and provide competitive differentiation. For instance, in February 2020, Sunrise Medical acquired Oracing, a Spain-based designer and manufacturer of innovative sports, made-to-measure wheelchairs, and E-Mobility power products. Furthermore, a number of market players are offering their products through various e-commerce platforms, which have improved the product accessibility for patients and increased the market competition. Some of the key companies operating in the Europe mobility aids market are:

• Human Care HC AB

• Drive DeVilbiss Healthcare

• Roma Medical

• Day’s Mobility Ltd.

• Van Os Medical

• Invacare Corp.

• Z-Tec Mobility

• Sunrise Medical

• Karma Mobility

• TOPRO Ltd.

• Remploy (RHealthcare)

Europe Mobility Aids Market Report Scope

Segments Covered in the Report

This report forecasts revenue growth at regional and country levels and provides an analysis of the latest industry trends in each of the sub-segments from 2018 to 2030. For this study, Grand View Research has segmented the Europe mobility aids market report based on product, sector, type of split, distribution channel, and region:

• Product Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030)

  • Rollators

  • Walkers

  • Wheelchairs

    • Manual

      • Active

      • Bariatric

      • Rehabilitation

      • Others

    • Powered

  • LTC Beds (Home)

• Sector Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030)

  • Private

  • Public

• Type of Split Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030)

  • Rehabilitation

  • Aged Care

• Distribution Channels Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030)

  • Online

  • Offline

• Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030)

  • Europe

    • Germany

    • U.K.

    • France

    • Italy

    • Spain

    • Switzerland

    • Poland