Tesco intends to open 30 practices this year

Tesco will open a further 30 optical practices over the course of 2010, creating an estimated total of 200 jobs for optical assistants, dispensing opticians and optometrists.

Despite the difficult economic climate, the supermarket retailer is set for another year of expansion which will bring its total number of practices to approximately 165.

Over the course of two years, the number of Tesco practices has nearly doubled from 72 in January 2008 (News 25.01.08) to 135 in March 2009. The scale of Tesco's expansion has seen it surpass Asda as the largest supermarket optician. Asda could not provide comment at the time Optician went to press.