European Optics Market Over €17 Billion in 2015

MILAN, March 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

GfK has announced its latest figures for key European optics markets (Italy, France, Spain and Germany), confirming a turnover of over €17 billion for total year 2015. 

GfK's Optics Panel tracks sales data for sunglasses, frames, spectacle lenses, contact lenses and care products for contact lenses. The 2015 figures show a 7.0 percent growth in sales value for the optical market across Italy, France, Spain and Germany, with a total turnover of over 17 billion euro.

The positive trend applies to all four countries analyzed: Italy ended the year with a growth of 4.1 percent, while France grew 3.8 percent, and Spain and Germany recorded a double-digit growth of 10.5 percent and 11.1 percent, respectively.

This positive trend was across all product sectors. The market for contact lenses (including care products) grew 2.3 percent in 2015, while the frames market grew 6.5 percent. The sunglasses sector has recovered after the -3.6 percent recorded in 2014 and shows a remarkable growth of 7.0 percent. And finally, the spectacle lenses sector, which represents 58 percent of the total optics market, grew 7.8 percent in 2015.

"This strong increase is based on a robust unit sales growth of 5.8 percent and an increase in the average selling price of 1.8 percent," reports Till Herzog, senior business group manager of optics research at GfK. "The price trend was caused by a rise in the number of higher quality lenses sold in the European spectacle market."

Analysis of GfK's sales data by lens type shows sales of progressive lenses increased across nearly all markets, led by Germany and France at around 32 percent growth. Additionally, sales of the 1.6 and 1.67 refraction index lenses increased, driving up the overall average selling price for the total market.

Certain product features have also had significant impact on the overall market value. The final value of monofocal lenses was influenced by sales of refraction index lenses and lens coating - while, for progressive lenses, "individual" features from customization had an even greater impact.

GfK's data also shows correlation between the lens price and the spectacle frame price. There is a much higher share of progressive lenses sold within high-end frames, compared to low-end frames; the same situation that is seen with the refraction index.

For more information, please visit http://www.gfk.com or follow GfK on Twitter: https://twitter.com/GfK

Contact: Chiara Gallina, Marketing & Communication, T +39-02-8705-3340, [email protected]  

SOURCE GfK