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Asda focus on Contact Lens market
Asda is putting pressure on their competition by offering
free contact lens assessments with every eye test in its optical
practices, a measure which it hopes to roll out on a permanent
basis according to Asda buying manager Nik Langrish-Dixon. The
assessment, which usually costs £15, is available across all of
Asda's UK practices with every £15 eye examination and is 'risk
free' according to Langrish-Dixon 'with absolutely no obligation to
buy any contact lenses'. Subsequent follow up appointments are also
free and patients are issued with a specification once the fit is
complete.
Describing Asda's optical business as 'going from strength to
strength', Langrish-Dixon said the supermarket retailer intends to
open optical practices in another seven stores this year, which
will bring the total number of Asda Opticians to 90. The new
practices would be located across the UK, but primarily in England
he revealed.
The retailer has also expanded its fixed price prescription
glasses offer to include custom varifocal lenses, allowing
customers to buy a pair of designer frames with custom varifocal
back-surfaced progressive lenses for £110. This price contains 'no
hidden extras' and is 'significantly cheaper than competitors,'
according to Langrish-Dixon.
Asda's first fixed-price deal provides patients with
single-vision spectacles at a fixed price regardless of the
prescription. Revealing its impact, Langrish-Dixon told Optician:
'We continue to be the customer champion on optical and our
customers really understand and appreciate the simplicity in our
pricing structure which shows in a 40 per cent uplift in volume
since we launched in October 2009'. Explaining the offer's
popularity he added 'customers love the outstanding and transparent
pricing structure on our glasses' which he said encouraged its
expansion to include varifocals.
Another major development for the retailer's optical business
has been the addition of fundus cameras to its nine stores in
Scotland. Langrish-Dixon said that Asda was exploring the
possibility of introducing fundus cameras to all of its practices,
with the intention of including the service in the standard £15 eye
examination fee.
Asda's intention to make permanent its free contact lens
assessment offer is the latest volley in a price war which started
with its first fixed price glasses deal and has seen Tesco
Opticians permanently provide full free tests across all its
practices