1983
Specsavers founded
Doug and Mary Perkins started the business on a ping-pong table in their spare room, after a change in UK regulations allowed professionals to advertise their products and services for the first time.
1984
Opened first stores in Guernsey and the UK
The first stores opened with the aim to provide a wide range of modern and stylish glasses at an affordable price for everyone.
1990
Opened first store in Ireland
1997
Opened first international store in the Netherlands
1999
Opened flagship store in Tottenham Court Road, London, the 350th in the UK
2002
Expanded into audiology in the UK
2003
Launched Should’ve gone to Specsavers strapline in the UK
2003
Awarded Supreme Achievement Award by optical industry
2004
Opened first store in Sweden
2005
Opened first store in Norway
2005
Acquired Louis Nielsen in Denmark
2006
Opened first store in Spain
2007
Mary Perkins made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire
2008
Opened 100 stores in 100 days in Australia and New Zealand
2009
Celebrated 25 years in business
2011
Opened 700th store in Belfast, Northern Ireland
2012
Became NHS-qualified hearing care providers
Specsavers is now accredited by over half of the NHS Clinical Commissioning Groups in England to provide NHS hearing services in local community setting. So people can get the assistance they need with their hearing, closer to home.
2012
The Dame Mary Perkins Optometry Training Centre opened in Zambia
2013
Launched UK home visit eyecare service
Providing access to our eyecare services for those who are unable to visit us in store due to physical or mental disabilities.
2016
Partnered with ophthalmology business, Newmedica
Our preferred NHS-approved provider of care for those who require advanced eyecare services.
2017
Partnership with International Glaucoma Association
Helping to raise awareness of glaucoma and encourage everyone to have regular eye tests.
2017
Launched first global celebrity eye wear collection with Kylie Minogue
2018
New Frame Styler and AudioPad technology rolled out in UK and Ireland
2018
Launch of new will.i.am global brand
Exclusive to Specsavers
2018
Nationwide roll out of Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) equipment
Providing hospital-grade scanning technology in our stores so that we can get an even better view of our customers’ eye health.