Cecop, the international support group for independent opticians, says it wants to double its UK membership by the end of the year.
It said interest in the group among independent opticians had been very strong at the recent Optrafair exhibition.
The showing marked Cecop's second year in the UK but the start of a renewed push for the group. It currently has 160 practices signed in the UK and expects this to double before the end of the year.
Country manager Bernhard van Ommen said he was pleased by the response. He re-iterated Cecop's intention to help independent practices fight back under the onslaught of 'aggressive marketing and acquisitions of the multiples'.
He said this could be achieved by differentiation and offering branded products.
Worldwide Cecop has 2,100 associates and boasts suppliers such as Alain Mikli, Maui Jim and Marchon.
Cecop would like to point out that it does not yet have a deal in the UK with Maui Jim bhut it does with Luxottica, Safilo, Essilor, Hoya and Coopervision.