Eyewear in Western Europe

Delivery

This report comes in PPT.

Key Findings

Polarisation being seen in Western European eyewear

Polarisation is evident in a number of the region’s markets. On the one hand, consumers impacted by the cost-of-living crisis are more likely to be looking for the best prices possible (eg via private label contact lenses or “reglazing” their spectacles). On the other hand, some consumers are still happy to splash out on luxury sunglasses brands or pay that bit extra for added-value products with features like blue light blocking properties.

Optical goods stores still dominate eyewear sales

When buying spectacle lenses, consumers generally visit an optical goods store for an eye test and a consultation with an eye care professional to obtain a prescription best suited to their specific needs. However, once consumers have their contact lens prescription, increasing numbers favour purchasing such products online, whether for the sake of convenience or because e-commerce platforms often have more competitive pricing policies.

RAC 0 “100% Health” initiative keeps price rises down in France

In France, despite inflationary pressures, price increases in eyewear remained relatively low, thanks to measures like the RAC 0 reform of 2020, which aims to reduce patient out-of-pocket expenses, and the success of mutualised opticians. These factors helped to mitigate the impact of inflation on eyewear prices.

Positive growth expected in the coming years

The increasing prevalence of myopia among young people and presbyopia among older ones will continue to drive demand for eyewear products in the coming years. As will advanced technologies and innovative design features like blue light filters or anti-glare coatings – or perhaps even smart glasses.