Eyewear in Poland

COVID-19 impact on eyewear

Sales of eyewear were significantly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. In particular, retail volume sales and value sales of spectacles suffered serious and abrupt declines as stay-at-home consumers suffered from limited access to optical shops, ophthalmologic offices and related retailers during the pandemic-inspired lockdown.

COVID-19 country impact

Cultural institutions and schools in Poland were closed from 12 March, with borders closing three days later and an official epidemic declared in Poland on 20 March. This saw public gatherings limited to a maximum of two people and non-essential travel prohibited, with exemptions for shopping, buying medicines, visiting doctors, walking dogs, jogging, cycling and walking, but observing 2m social distancing when doing so, and masks have been obligatory in public since the start of April.

Company response

Historically, eyewear has been highly fragmented. Numerous multinationals hold value share, although no players hold more than double-digit value share.

Retailing shift

While struggling, independent optical shops nevertheless remain the strongest eyewear distribution channel, although optical chains are quickly gaining in significance due to their frequent discounting and wide range of eyewear products on offer. For example, the large Vision Express chain operates more than 200 stores located across the country and the company plans to continue to launch new stores in coming years.

What next for eyewear?

As consumers continue to accommodate themselves, at least to an extent, to wide range of pandemic-related retail limitations, retail volume sales of eyewear—considered to be necessary products for daily living in Poland—are expected to bounce back strongly in 2021 and then continue to grow steadily throughout the remainder of the forecast period. Brick-and-mortar optical shops should be open and accessible to those needing eyewear and regular eye testing should return to pre-COVID-19 levels, benefiting volume sales of corrective spectacles and contact lenses.

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