Specsavers
When Doug and Dame Mary Perkins, opened the first Specsavers store in Bristol back in 1984, no one quite predicted just how much of an impact the business would have on the profession.
Today, Specsavers is the world’s largest privately owned optical group with more than 2,000 stores operating in 10 countries. Each store is part-owned and managed by its own directors, who are then provided with support services including marketing, accounting, IT and wholesaling.
This year Specsavers is continuing its focus on training all teams in enhanced optical services, with optical and retail teams completing the International Glaucoma Association training modules and more than 1,800 Specsavers optometrists in England achieving the WOPEC (Wales Optometry Postgraduate Education Centre) level 2 accreditation in glaucoma, and a further 650 gaining level 1.
Boots
Boots Opticians is one of the leading opticians in the UK with 637 practices as of August last year, of which 178 operate on a franchise basis. Around 30% of practices are located in Boots stores with the balance being standalone optical practices.
De Rigo, which operates in the design, production and distribution of high-end eyewear and sunwear, owns a 42% minority interest in Boots Opticians which it obtained in 2009 after Boots Opticians merged with Dollond & Aitchison to create the second largest optical chain in the UK.
Vision Express
Vision Express is one of the largest optical retailers in the UK and is part of GrandVision, a European optical retail group. It first opened its doors in Newcastle in 1988 and now has almost 600 stores nationwide after acquiring Tesco Opticians’ network of 209 stores in 2017.
With around 6,000 employees, Vision Express makes a significant difference to the communities it operates within, and the organisations it chooses to support. As part of its commitment to Vision Taken Seriously, Vision Express partners a range of healthcare charities providing support to people affected by vision-related conditions.
Scrivens Opticians & Hearing Care
Scrivens is a family-owned business founded by Solomon Scriven in 1938 and now headed up by grandsons Nicholas and Mark Georgevic. Its growth in audiology, thanks in part to providing adult hearing care on behalf of the NHS, prompted a corporate name change to Scrivens Opticians & Hearing Care in 2013.
Mark Georgevic is current chair of the National Community Hearing Association. The company has 182 high street branches in England and north Wales and employs 1,000 people. It will celebrate its 80th anniversary this year with a number of events.
Asda
Asda Opticians was first introduced to stores in 2000 and is now in more than 130 Asda supermarkets across the UK and Northern Ireland. Asda was one of the early entrants into the online contact lens business and prides itself on its transparent pricing offers.
Part of American retail giant Walmart, the next year for Asda will be interesting to watch as it seeks to merge with Sainsbury’s supermarket, although all outlets are expected to keep their original identity.
Optical Express
Optical Express was founded in 1991 and has developed a portfolio including laser, lens and cataract surgery as well as maintaining the core optics division of glasses and contact lenses.
The Optical Express Group currently operates in the UK, Ireland, Croatia and Germany and has 127 stores in the UK. In October last year, the company embarked on a 12-month initiative to recruit 150 optometrists because of its business expansion and investment in technology.
Hakim Group
Independent practices are acquired by the Hakim Group when an owner is looking to retire or as part of a gradual phased exit. Practices keep their optometrist or dispensing optician co-owner with a level of ownership varying from 5% to 50% over one or several practices.
The company vows to retain the independent practice’s heritage and safeguard the futures of existing team members. It provides a support team to assist with finance, purchasing, marketing, HR and training functions.
Hakim Group was decorated as the UK’s number one company to work for in the Times 100 Best Small Companies list this year. The newspaper also recognised CEO Imran Hakim for his leadership skills.
David Clulow
Established in 1962, David Clulow has built a strong reputation for providing high standards of eye care on the high street. It is part of the Luxottica retail arm and has 35 outlets trading under its name.
David Clulow stores are based largely in London and the south-east of England in prestigious locations including Kensington High Street, Hampstead, Covent Garden and Harrods.
Leightons
Leightons Opticians & Hearing Care operates 34 practices – a mix of family-owned, franchise and joint venture. Led by grandson of the founder, Ryan Leighton, it is highly focused on elevating and differentiating the customer experience, while further integrating the optical and audiology service.
Leightons’ Learning Academy, with 16 fully accredited training modules, is a central component of helping all staff with structured learning and development. In 2017 Leightons launched a specialist private audiology service for independent opticians called the Hearing Care Partnership, and at the time of writing has 36 partner practices with expectations of expansion during 2018.
Duncan & Todd
Founded in 1972, Duncan & Todd employs more than 250 people across its national branch network and at its state-of-the-art ophthalmic lens laboratory, Caledonian Optical in Aberdeen. Chief executive Frances Rus has overseen the growth of Duncan & Todd since leading a management buyout in 2007.
Since then, and with investment from BGF, the business has invested heavily in its manufacturing capability and expanded its national footprint from its original base in the North East of Scotland to 29 stores stretching from the Central Belt to the Highlands, including the 2020 Optical chain in central Scotland. The business has recently introduced a new hearing care service following the appointment of Duncan & Todd’s first head of audiology.
Costco Optical
The US company Costco, which is one of the world’s biggest wholesalers, has been expanding into the optical industry. With 28 optical service centres in the UK it is a new entrant to Optician’s Top UK Chains.
Black & Lizars
One of Scotland’s largest independent opticians, Black & Lizars was established in 1830 when John Lizars opened the first practice in Glasgow’s Merchant City at the age of 20. In 1982, C Jeffrey Black and OD Black merged, and 17 years later a further merger took place creating what is now Black & Lizars.
The company has invested heavily in the latest 3D optical coherence tomography eye scanners and has the largest network of Daytona Optomaps in the UK.
How we arrived at the figures
Where figures were not supplied by the companies involved estimates have been made based on industry contacts, reports or the latest published figures used where comparable. This report is designed to provide a snapshot of the £3bn retail optical market and should not form the basis of any financial decisions.
Optician thanks those companies that made their figures available. Where estimates have been made they have been made in good faith and do not supersede any official figures.