Western Europe

The briefing introduces the Cities Households Necessities Spending Index. The index ranks 1,075 cities by household expenditure on non-discretionary items, namely food, housing, and clothing and footwear. This analysis focuses on 160 major cities.…

In the upcoming years, consumers and businesses face an array of challenges, with income inequality, mass migration and rising uncertainty about another crisis being among the major ones. Nevertheless, within this lie untapped opportunities. This…

Sales of contact lenses and solutions in France are moderating in 2024 following a period of strong growth during and directly after the COVID-19 pandemic. The inconvenience of spectacle lenses fogging up while wearing masks had deterred some people…

Although the incidence of vision health problems is increasing, retail volume and current value sales of contact lenses in Germany are expected to decrease in 2024. The ongoing uncertain socioeconomic context continues to dampen potential sales due…

Contact lenses is set to see mid-single digit growth in current value terms in Italy in 2024, continuing the trend from the previous year, with the category being the most dynamic within eyewear. Growth in the category will be supported by Italians…

Retail volume and current value sales of contact lenses and solutions in Spain are expected to see strong growth over 2024, albeit slower compared to 2023. Economic factors in 2024 continue to exert a strong influence on the category. In this vein,…

Retail volume sales of contact lenses and solutions has been relatively stagnant in Sweden for much of the review period, although there was a slight uptick in 2024. Advanced features and rising prices brought on by inflation has underpinned current…

Contact lenses and solutions in Switzerland are set to record minimal current value growth in 2024 despite further price increases. Value sales have almost reached pre-pandemic levels in real terms, as consumers buy more frequently and spend slightly…

Sales of contact lenses and solutions remain driven by daily disposable lenses in the Netherlands, continuing the trend evidenced during the latter part of the review period. Manufacturers are committed to increasing the penetration of daily…

Contact lenses in the UK are set to deliver solid single-digit volume and current value growth over 2024, which will make it the most dynamic performer in eyewear (in terms of volume growth). After the decline that resulted from the pandemic in 2020,…

Rising concern about the prevalence of myopia among children and teenagers, primarily due to excessive screen exposure, has contributed to a renewed focus on contact lenses and solutions. Teenagers in particular often feel self-conscious about…

In 2024, eyewear in France is witnessing slower growth compared to recent years, in both retail volume and current value terms. With inflation softening in 2024, French consumers and inbound tourists who can afford to pay for luxury products are…

Eyewear in Germany is expected to display positive retail current value growth in 2024, mainly boosted by rising unit prices. A focus on materials and quality, customisation, and personalisation, are all boosting value sales through premiumisation,…

Eyewear is expected to record low single-digit growth in current value terms in Italy in 2024. Growth is set to be supported by Italian consumers’ recovery in purchasing power. Indeed, most categories’ volume sales are expected to see growth on the…

Eyewear in Spain continues to see a return to pre-Coronavirus (COVID-19) consumption patterns in 2024. As in 2023, the end of COVID-19-related restrictions in the country has seen Spanish consumers resume out-of-home lifestyles, returning more fully…

Eyewear in Sweden continues to display a robust performance in 2024, buoyed by an ageing population and increasing time spent on digital screens, which are both boosting the need for more specialist or value-added eyewear products. The rising…

Eyewear recorded positive current value growth in Switzerland over 2024, with price increases responsible for much of this increase. Retail volume sales declined marginally as many consumers remained careful with expenditure and continued to…

In 2024, sales of eyewear in the Netherlands are experiencing healthy growth, continuing the positive trend from the previous year. Despite facing challenges such as price increases and inflation, Dutch consumers consider eyewear an essential item…

Eyewear in the UK is expected to continue to record single-digit retail volume and current value growth in 2024, albeit at marginally slower rates than the previous year. Eyewear in the UK witnessed a relatively quick recovery after the decline seen…

Eyewear in Turkey has been in recovery since 2021, but a full return to pre-pandemic levels in volume terms is not expected until the second half of the forecast period. Sales have already recovered in current value terms, but this has largely driven…

This report examines inflation levels and drivers globally and in key countries. In 2023, global inflation is expected to ease from its peak in 2022, but remaining significantly above-trend. Geopolitical risks and uncertainty in the energy market are…

This report examines inflation levels and drivers globally and in key countries. Global inflation is reaching a peak, although geopolitical risks and uncertainty in the energy market remain key risks. The impact varies between countries, with…

This report examines inflation levels and drivers globally and in key countries in Q4 2023 and 2024. Global inflation is moderating, although divergence remains among the key economies. Higher volatility in the energy markets and disruption of…

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has triggered the most severe global recession in nearly a century. Businesses are operating in a world of anxieties and uncertainties, not knowing what will be the new normal or when output and consumer spending…

Spectacles in France continues to grow at a healthy pace in 2024, in both retail volume and current value terms, with unit prices declining in both frames and lenses. Sales of spectacle lenses are slowing in 2024, due to the ongoing effect of the RAC…

Spectacles in Germany is expected to maintain retail volume and current value growth in 2024. The category has rebounded from the impact of the pandemic, returning to standard growth rates and drivers. Despite high inflation, trade sources noted that…

Sales of spectacles are set to see continued current value growth in Italy in 2024, with growth being supported by the recovery in Italians’ purchasing power. Indeed, the spectacles category is expected to see volume sales grow faster than in the…

Spectacles in Spain is expected to see modest, and slower, retail volume growth over 2024, compared to 2023. However, supported by an increase in the average retail unit price, retail value (constant 2024 prices) sales are projected to rise for the…

Spectacles in Sweden continues to display solid retail volume and current value growth boosted by rising unit prices and inflation. The ageing population along with lifestyle changes, such as greater exposure to digital screens, is boosting demand…

The ageing population in Switzerland continues to support strong demand for spectacles in 2024, with an increasing number of consumers requiring corrective eyewear from a much younger age. More frequent screen usage is also expanding the potential…

Spectacles are expected to record positive growth in 2024, driven by a continuous increase in the consumer base in the Netherlands. Dutch consumers view spectacle frames as essential items, similar to spectacle lenses, making them less likely to…

Spectacles in the UK continued to witness positive growth in 2023 offset by the ramifications of the pandemic. At the same time, value growth was driven by average unit price increases in line with inflated energy prices. While both value and volume…

Overall growth in spectacles is set to remain steady if moderate in retail volume terms throughout 2024 fuelled by rising demand for progressive lenses. Demand for progressive spectacle lenses is being driven by Turkey’s ageing population, coupled…

The performance of sunglasses is heavily influenced by the weather in France as well as tourism trends. In 2022, sales of sunglasses peaked due to high temperatures throughout the summer and the strong revival of national and international tourism in…

Sunglasses in Germany is expected to record the third strongest current value growth rate across the whole of eyewear in 2024. After the pandemic-related decline in 2020, the category has been continuously recording positive retail current value…

Sunglasses is set to see slight current value growth in Italy in 2024. After two years of double-digit growth in both value and volume terms, sunglasses sales, since 2023, have returned to their historical sluggish growth pattern represented by…

Having exceeded 2019 retail volume and current value sales for the first time in 2023, sunglasses in Spain continues to recover from the slump caused by the exigencies of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Sunglasses is projected to see the fastest…

Sunglasses in Sweden is one of the most dynamic categories in eyewear. Since the post-pandemic boom in sales, volume growth slowed in 2022 and 2023, but momentum is building in 2024. The strong premiumisation trend coupled with inflation continues to…

Sunglasses sales remain highly dependent on weather in Switzerland. In 2024, this trend became even more pronounced as consumers sought to limit their expenditure to essentials, due to financial insecurity and price increases etc.). Sunglasses are…

The sales of sunglasses in the Netherlands continue to thrive, benefiting from their positioning not only as essential protective accessories but also as fashion complements. With a heightened awareness of the dangers of UV light and an increasing…

After a strong performance in 2023, when sunglasses in the UK recorded high single-digit volume growth and double-digit value growth, 2024 is expected to be more of a cautious year for the category as a whole. The dynamic growth witnessed in 2023 was…

With Turkey continuing to see elevated inflation in 2024, consumers continue show a more cautious attitude towards consumption. As such, consumers are postponing purchases of non-essential products, such as sunglasses, which is resulting in a decline…

Now in its seventh edition, this report explores the top digital shopper trends that will redefine commerce the most in the year ahead. Some of the trends included in this edition touch on topics such as second-hand shopping, community group buying,…

Technological advances in 2024 will continue to reshape consumer behaviour. This annual report explores the top five digital shopper trends that will redefine commerce the most in the year ahead. Some of the trends included in this report’s edition…