Retailing giant Sainsbury's became the latest supermarket to stride into the contact lens price war, joining Asda and Tesco.
The newcomer claims its offer of dailies and monthlies is ‘up to 40 per cent cheaper than opticians’ high street prices’.
The multi-million pound company has launched its lenses online in a deal which involves fellow Nectar card sponsor Dollond & Aitchison. It is offering four brands Bausch & Lomb, CIBA Vision, CooperVision and Johnson & Johnson with free delivery across the UK.
Sainsbury's released its price offers on Wednesday this week, and they included Focus Dailies Spherical ‘from £18 for 30 pairs’, 1-Day Acuvue ‘from £29 per 30 pairs’ and Night & Day extended wear ‘from £12.79 per month’. All prices are for a nine-month supply.
For wearers who want own brand lenses there will be a special page in which customers can see which lenses ‘are exactly the same as your optician’s own brand’.
The supermarket has set up a dedicated site, www.sainsburyscontactlenses.co.uk, which can also be accessed from its main site www.sainsburys.co.uk
For wearers who want own-brand lenses there will be a special page in which customers can see which lenses 'are exactly the same as your optician's own-brand'. But as Optician went to press on the site's launch day this information was still not ready.
In a statement the supermarket announced that: 'With free delivery and 20 per cent off aftercare at Dollond & Aitchison, the service will combine all the benefits of online shopping with a built-in safeguards of a prescription-based service and a high standard of eye care from a trusted optician.'
Andrew Bailey, commercial director at D&A, commented: 'D&A and Sainsbury’s have worked closely together to develop a service that will appeal to customers who want the accessibility and convenience that an online service can provide without compromising their eyecare.
'Our decision to enter into this new partnership was significantly influenced by Sainsbury’s shared commitment to quality and service. It also presented an opportunity for two of the UK’s most trusted retailers to widen the choices available to the three million contact lens wearers across the country.'
Adam Zeiderman, commercial manager at Sainsbury's, said: 'Commitment to service and quality underpins our decision to launch contact lenses online, which offers customers both convenience and value without compromising their eye care.
'We are perfectly placed to provide this added choice, as it complements both our established online shopping service, as well as the many health-related initiatives which our customers have come to expect from us.'
Sainsbury's claim of up to 40 per cent cheaper is based on a comparison with two multiples: 'B&L Soflens 1 Day – 60 pairs purchased from Vision Express Store on 6/3/06 and CIBA Focus Dailies – 30 pairs purchased from Optical Express Store on 9/3/06. Lower prices may be charged online.'
The supermarket, which reported a rise in half-year profits of £118m in the six months to October 8 said this week that its sales were up 6.7 per cent for the 12 weeks to March 25 2006.
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