Eyewear in the United Kingdom

Outlook for the UK eyewear market remains positive

The UK eyewear market continued to record positive current value growth in 2019, with contact lenses, spectacles and sunglasses all benefitting from the modern consumer embracing innovation, technology and premiumisation. The industry continues to be led by premium players as UK consumers are more quality focussed than price-conscious.

Premiumisation in all eyewear categories drives growth

Across all categories, the UK eyewear industry is led by premium players, with contact lenses increasingly skewing towards higher-priced silicone hydrogel daily disposable lenses, while well-known luxury players continue to dominate both spectacle frames and sunglasses. As the wider luxury industry continues to enjoy strong growth in the UK, the premiumisation trend has well and truly infiltrated the eyewear market.

UK eyewear market undergoes further concentration in 2019

The UK eyewear market became further concentrated in 2019, as the leading players in contact lenses, spectacles and sunglasses consolidated their leading positions in their respective categories. Contact lenses and solutions continued to be dominated by global visioncare leaders – Novartis, Johnson & Johnson, The Cooper Cos and Bausch Health Cos – while Luxottica and Essilor are further strengthening their position in spectacles through their EssilorLuxottica merger that was confirmed in late 2018.

Internet retailing share in UK eyewear is growing but limited

Internet retailing continued to grow its share in the UK eyewear market in 2019 and, as is the case across most consumer industries, online distribution is becoming crucial for the long-term retention of a retailer’s consumer base. However, when it comes to contact lenses, bricks-and-mortar optical shops continue to dominate the distribution landscape.

The UK eyewear industry is expected to record strong growth over the forecast period

The UK eyewear market is set to enjoy strong value growth over the forecast period, driven by the premiumisation trend gaining ground in spectacles and sunglasses and the continued move towards higher-priced daily disposable contact lenses. Volume growth is expected to be more modest, particularly in contact lenses and solutions, where the challenge of growing an active consumer base persists.

Files are delivered directly into your account within a few minutes of purchase.