“The market for optical goods in the UK is concentrating into the hands of three major companies: Specsavers, Boots Opticians and Vision Express. Although Specsavers is reaching saturation in terms of store numbers we have seen Boots on an expansion trail, while Vision Express has been expanding by buying up established businesses. Meanwhile, small-to-medium sized chains have been under intense pressure and many established names have been subsumed into the larger groups. Established opticians are also facing new challenges as Tesco and Asda’s in-store chains reach maturity. In these tough market conditions we see continued efforts to persuade consumers to switch retailers, as well as companies aiming to expand their services by adding other revenue streams including hearing care and domiciliary services.”

– Jane Westgarth, Senior Market Analyst

This report answers the following questions:

How much are discounts influencing demand?

Do people who use screen-based technology want special eyewear?

Will supermarkets come to dominate optics?