Comment: Face to face with the multiples

Vision Express seems to have started 2014 with a renewed sense of purpose; news this week of its acquisition of 65 Rayners practices certainly lays down a marker to the other big chains. What it lacks in size when compared to Specsavers and Boots it certainly makes up for in chutzpah, but size isn’t everything and VE certainly hasn’t boasted simply about being bigger.

It may be a little OTT to describe VE as the enfant terrible of the big three chains but it gives the impression of wanting to rattle a few cages. The acquisition of Crown Eyeglass, its parent’s purchase of Lenstore, last week’s apprenticeship push (news 17.10.14) plus an event for its Ralph Lauren range at its Oxford Street flagship are a few of its pre-February actions.