Chain store pricing helps independents

National pricing strategies adopted by the larger optical chains are helping independent retailers to survive, according to new research published by the Economic and Social Research Council.

National rather than local pricing strategies actually protect smaller retailers from intense local competition that could arise in areas where several optical chains have a presence.

'If you had the major chain stores all setting local prices in one town, that could lead to intense competition, and price wars, between them which would negatively affect the smaller, independent retailers,' explained Matt Olczak, research associate at the ESRC Centre for Competition Policy.

'It is clear that the opticians market needs to be monitored regularly, since a change in pricing strategy by any of the chain stores could have a negative impact on the independents.'