Chris Bennett: Endgame still some way off

Deafening silence is perhaps the best way to describe the commentary around the merger of Essilor and Luxottica first announced back in January of 2017. Last week’s news of a £4bn spend in retail didn’t raise the volume.

Back in 2017 this very column was asking its readers, the profession, why there was no response to a move that could see one entity control up to a quarter of the eyewear market. That announcement, fortuitously for Optician, came the same day as a Specsavers practice event. This gave Optician the chance to put Doug Perkins on the spot for a comment. He made no hesitation in referring to the ‘endgame’ and completion of route to market.