In focus: Industry reacts to reports of substandard specs sold online

An investigation into the quality and standard of spectacles ordered from online retailers by consumer advice service Which? has won considerable support from optical organisations and the industry.

Which? posed as three different customers to order one pair of low prescription single-vision spectacles, one in high prescription single-vision and one with varifocals lenses from nine different online retailers. It then worked alongside two optical professionals to measure the accuracy of the products received and assess whether they had been produced according to British Standards.

Seven of the 26 orders received failed to meet the relevant standards, either because the measurements were different from those that had been supplied and did not conform to British Standards, or the lenses were loose so could fall out or be easily rotated. While 19 pairs did satisfy the measured standards, some were criticised for their build quality. Some pairs had poor quality lenses that were scratched, loose, warped or positioned badly, while others were criticised for nose-pad positioning or loose arms.