Pearle buys into Norway

Continental optical chain Pearle Europe has completed its acquisition of Optikk Norge, the Norwegian chain that provides services to around 75 outlets operating under the Interoptik brand.

The acquisition follows the purchase earlier this month of Krane-Optik und Akustik in Germany, which has 87 outlets and employs 650 people.

Pearle, a 98 per cent subsidiary of Netherlands-based HAL Holding, operates optical retail chains in 12 European countries, with 1,696 stores at the end of 2005, of which 476 operated under franchise.

Total annual sales amounted to €975m. The company employs approximately 6,000 people.

HAL also owns GrandVision, the French parent company of Vision Express in the UK.