Eyewear in the Philippines

COVID-19 impact on eyewear

All eyewear categories in the Philippines have been negatively impacted by restrictions on store operations, disruptions to production, and enforced home seclusion as a result of COVID-19. However, demand for both spectacles and contact lenses has continued to be supported by the essential status of these products for their core consumers.

COVID-19 country impact

For the period between 12 March and 15 May, the government in the Philippines introduced a nationwide lockdown, albeit with some provinces without COVID-19 cases able to operate under differing local community quarantine regulations. The national regulations allowed only one person to leave the home to buy food or medicines between 06.

Company response

Prior to the outbreak of COVID-19, manufacturers and retailers were already working to develop their digital presence, with efforts to build integrated online marketing and retailing operations and increasing use of social media in order to attract younger consumers, in particular. Measures to contain the COVID-19 pandemic significantly bolstered these efforts, as restrictions on the operations of physical stores and enforced home seclusion severely limited the potential for sales through store-based retailing.

Retailing shift

Optical shops have continued to dominate sales of eyewear in 2020, as consumers appreciate the expert advice available in such stores, as well as the opportunity to try on products such as spectacle frames. However, restrictions on the operations of physical stores as part of measures to contain COVID-19 have significantly bolstered the role of e-commerce in eyewear.

What next for eyewear?

Following stagnation in both volume and current value terms in 2020 as a result of efforts to contain COVID-19, eyewear is expected to return to growth in 2021 and see an increasingly strong year-on-year performance throughout the rest of the forecast period. The essential status of spectacles and contact lenses for their core consumers provides a strong platform for recovery, especially when supported by an increasing concern for all aspects of eye health.

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