Silmäasema Oyj
Press Release
13 June 2018 at 13.00 EEST
Silmäasema welcomes The Finnish Consumer Ombudsman's guidelines for optical retail marketing
The Finnish Consumer Ombudsman has updated its guidelines for optical retail marketing. Silmäasema has participated actively in hearings and discussions, arranged by the Consumer Ombudsman, regarding the update of the guidelines. In addition, the Consumer Ombudsman will place optical retail marketing under special scrutiny and take actions, if needed.
According to the Consumer Ombudsman, the Finnish Consumer Authority constantly receives complaints about optical retail marketing. The complaints concern, among other things, the contents or the restrictions of marketing campaigns that are not clearly communicated. The Consumer Ombudsman also tells that long offer and discount campaigns have been typical to the industry.
Silmäasema welcomes the Consumer Ombudsman's updated guidelines and increasing scrutiny. According to Silmäasema's CEO Pasi Kohmo, it is however too early to estimate the impact of the updated guidelines on the optical retail industry, the customers and the companies.
"Constant campaigning in optical retail and ambiguous marketing guidelines have in practise directed the operators in the sector to try the limits of the regulations. The updated guidelines and tighter scrutiny will, if realised, leave less room for interpretation. I consider it important, that the rules are the same for everybody and that the compliance with the rules is scrutinised. The practice will show how the Consumer Ombudsman's guidelines will affect the industry, but it is too early to evaluate at this time. In any case, it would be beneficial for the customers if for example the prices as well as the terms and the restrictions of marketing campaigns are clearly disclosed", says Silmäasema's CEO Pasi Kohmo.
Silmäasema has already now strived to disclose the contents and restrictions of its promotional campaigns clearly to the consumers. In addition, the offers have mainly applied to all the frames and lenses in the assortment.
"Following the updated guidelines, we will review our practises. However, we have already earlier complied with the rules regarding for example the contents and the restrictions of marketing campaigns. We haven't received any notes from the authorities either regarding the contents of our campaigns. The competition is very intense in the optical retail and thus constant campaigning has been characteristic of the industry. We will review our practises also for this part and amend them if needed", says Pasi Kohmo.
Additional information
Pasi Kohmo, CEO, phone +358 50 331 7015
Tuukka Hirvonen, Head of Communications and Investor Relations, phone +358 50 416 7700
SILMÄASEMA OYJ
Communications
Silmäasema is a Finnish company, which offers all products and services for optical retail and eye healthcare nationwide. Silmäasema is the largest private eye clinic provider offering eye surgeries and the second largest optical retail chain in Finland. The Silmäasema chain has over 150 stores and 14 eye clinics in Finland as well as ten stores in Estonia. The Silmäasema chain employs close to 1,000 eye healthcare professionals. Silmäasema's Group net sales were EUR 118.3 million in 2017 and adjusted EBITDA was EUR 11.8 million.