Credit: Karolina Grabowska, Pexels

US optical trade association the Vision Council has released research featuring key insights into US consumers’ experiences and preferences when purchasing new glasses.

Findings from the report, ‘Focused inSights 2024 Frame Trends’, underscore the diversity in eyewear preferences and purchase behaviours, highlighting opportunities for the optical industry to tailor product offerings and marketing strategies to meet consumer preferences, said Alysse Henkel, vice president, research and insights at the Vision Council. It reveals a diverse landscape of consumer frame preferences, influenced by factors such as shopping habits, eyecare product usage and individual values pertaining to sustainability and technology, she said. “This report offers a unique analysis of evolving eyewear trends and provides the optical industry with crucial data to enhance their understanding of the consumer, as well as the key factors influencing their frames buying decisions today."

Some of the preferences highlighted in the report include: sustainability; trends and brand recognition matter more to non-prescription wearers than prescription glasses wearers; individuals who regularly use multiple pairs of glasses show a greater inclination towards curvier shapes, such as oval, cat-eye, round and wraparound, than those who use one pair; and brand and fashion trends carry greater importance for consumers who find shopping for frames fun. Consumers who often struggle to find frames that fit well deprioritise fashion and brands compared to those without fit issues whereas sustainability-minded consumers prioritise optician recommendations, technology, current fashion trends and brand/designer labels higher than those who don’t consider sustainability important when buying frames. Technology enthusiasts, meanwhile, show a stronger preference for rimless/semi-rimless and aviator frame shapes than those who don’t consider technology an important factor in their frames purchase.

The online poll was conducted in January 2024 among 2,200 adults. For more on the report, see https://thevisioncouncil.org/