Slide 1 General Optical Council Research Contact Lens Survey Presentation of results Dr Michael Turner Research Director

Slide 2 The GOC commissioned BMG Research to undertake a consumer research study about the behaviour of contact lens wearers, including those who buy online. This presentation presents the following: Introduction to the research Aims & MethodologyProfile of contact lens wearersPurchasing behaviour findingsPrescriptions & SpecificationsEye test & contact lens check-up findingsAftercare advice findingsCode of practice findingsZero-powered contact lenses findings

Slide 3 Section 1 Aims & Methodology

Slide 4 GOC Aims... To understand consumer views about contact lenses as a healthcare product; To estimate the frequency of eye examinations and contact lens check-ups, including information provided at these appointments; What type of contact lenses were last purchased and where (e.g. online or in-store) and what the reasons were; Why consumers do not currently buy contact lenses online and the factors that would encourage them to do so in future; Awareness of and compliance with contact lens aftercare advice; Consumer views towards the codes of practice and whether such a code would change their behaviour; How to target guidance for consumers effectively; How often people wear ‘zero powered’ contact lenses and where they buy them from Aims & Methodology

Slide 5 A total of 2,043 UK adults contact lens users and purchasers received and took part in an online survey between 13 th – 20 th October A number of questions were asked on the BMG Omnibus regarding zero-powered contact lenses. Aims & Methodology SurveySampleFieldwork Main survey2,043 (432 Primary Online)13 th – 20 th October 2015 BMG Omnibus1,50122 nd – 27 th October 2015

Slide 6 Section 2 Profile of contact lens wearers

Slide 7 Profile of contact lens wearers Contact lens wearers are predominantly female and younger. Profile of contact lens wearers by gender, age, disability and household 49% 51% 12% 17% 18% 15% 21% 79% Figures in grey represent national statistics. Source: 2011 Census

Slide 8 Profile of contact lens wearers Contact lens wearers predominantly work full-time and are classified as a higher socio-economic grade. Profile of contact lens wearers by gender, age, disability and household 53% 47% Figures in grey represent national statistics. Source: 2011 Census

Slide 9 Profile of contact lens wearers Broad brush approach Key description Younger Female Wealthier Professionals Urban Internet usage (Social Media & Online buying)

Slide 10 Internet usage Almost twice as many contact lens wearers buy products online ‘all the time’ compared with the general British public polled in the BMG Omnibus. Buy products online Internet access F3. How often, if at all, do you buy products online? Sample base = 2043 F1. How often do you access the internet for personal use? Sample base = 2043 BMG Omnibus Oct How often do you access the internet for personal use? Base=1,467 BMG Omnibus Oct How often, if at all, do you buy products online? Base=1,467

Slide 11 Section 3 Purchasing Behaviour

Slide 12 Purchasing behaviour findings 68% of respondents have only ever bought contact lenses in-store; 8% have only ever bought online and 22% have bought contact lenses both in-store and online. C1. Thinking about where you buy your contact lenses, which one of the following statements most applies to you? Sample base = 2043 Where contact lenses are bought (all respondents) Online trends comparison: 11% of UK adults do all of their grocery shopping online (Source: IDG ShopperVista Survey Oct 2015) Online trends comparison: 11% of UK adults do all of their grocery shopping online (Source: IDG ShopperVista Survey Oct 2015)

Slide 13 Purchasing behaviour findings... Of those who have never purchased online 44% have no reason to change / are satisfied with buying in-store. 11% are planning to do so. Reasons for never buying online (those who have never bought online) C16. You said earlier that you have never bought contact lenses online. Why is this? Sample base = 1388

Slide 14 Purchasing behaviour findings... C18.Please indicate which of the following criteria you feel is the most important factor, and which you feel is the least important factor in deciding where to buy contact lenses from. Sample base = 2043 Purchase decision factors

Slide 15 Section 4 Eye Tests & Contact Lens Check-ups

Slide 16 Eye tests findings Contact lens wearers who primarily buy in-store have eye tests more frequently than those who primarily buy online. Frequency of eye tests (all respondents) B1. How frequently do you go for eye examinations/sight tests? Sample bases in parentheses *denotes less than 0.5% Figures in bold are statistically significantly higher than those who primarily buy in-store/online

Slide 17 Contact lens check-ups findings A similar picture is held for contact lens check-ups. Frequency of contact lens check-ups (all respondents) B2. How frequently do you go for contact lens check-ups? Sample bases in parentheses *denotes less than 0.5% Figures in bold are statistically significantly higher than those who primarily buy in-store/online

Slide 18 Section 5 Statistics on spectacles prescriptions and contact lens specifications

Slide 19 Spectacles prescription Four fifths were provided with their spectacles prescription at their most recent eye test (81%); 8% were not but have a copy from a previous test. 11% do not have their spectacles prescription. Whether have spectacles prescription (all respondents) B5a. Thinking about your most recent eye examination/sight test, were you provided with your spectacles/glasses prescription? B6a. Do you have a copy of your spectacles/glasses prescription from previous tests? Sample base = 2043

Slide 20 Contact lens specification 59% were provided with their contact lens specification at their most recent check-up; 15% have a copy from a previous check-up. Over a quarter (26%) do not have their contact lens specification. Whether have contact lens specification (all respondents) B5b. Thinking about your most recent contact lens check-up, were you provided with your contact lens specification? B6. Do you have a copy of your contact lens specification from previous check-ups? Sample base = 2043

Slide 21 Contact lens specification A number of subgroups are significantly more likely to have a copy of their contact lens specification... Proportion that have contact lens specification (all respondents) B5b. Thinking about your most recent contact lens check-up, were you provided with your contact lens specification? B6. Do you have a copy of your contact lens specification from previous check-ups? Sample bases in parentheses Figures in bold are statistically significantly higher than average (minus the sub- group tested)

Slide 22 Contact lens specification 64% recall the website did require their contact lens specification. Of these, two thirds used information from their contact lens specification. Whether website requires contact lens specification (those who primarily buy online) and how they knew which contact lenses to order (those who primarily buy online and website requires contact lens specification) Base = C13a. Does [website] require you to provide your contact lens specification in order to buy contact lenses? = Yes Sample base = 432 (those who primarily buy online) C13b. How did you know what contact lenses to order? Sample base = 276 (those who buy online and website requires contact lens specification) Note: Percentages may not add to 100% as question a multi-choice design

Slide 23 Section 6 Aftercare advice

Slide 24 Aftercare advice findings Around half of respondents who have had a contact lens check-up were provided with aftercare advice. B5b. Thinking about your most recent contact lens check-up, were you provided with advice on how to wear and look after your contact lenses (i.e. aftercare advice)? Sample bases in parentheses Figures in bold are statistically significantly higher than average (minus the sub-group tested) Proportion that were provided with aftercare advice at most recent contact lens check-up (those who have ever had a contact lens check-up)

Slide 25 Aftercare advice findings More than half of contact lens wearers are aware of 80% or more of the advice statements (54%), however around one third (36%) comply with 80% or more of the advice. Summary of awareness and compliance with aftercare advice (all respondents) B10. The BCLA has some useful tips on contact lens wear and care to help consumers get the best out of their contact lenses. Please look at the below contact lens aftercare advice and for each statement, select whether you were aware of this advice, and whether you currently follow the advice. Sample base = 2043

Slide 26 Aftercare advice findings Awareness of aftercare advice varies by subgroup... Summary of awareness and compliance with aftercare advice (all respondents) B10. The BCLA has some useful tips on contact lens wear and care to help consumers get the best out of their contact lenses. Please look at the below contact lens aftercare advice and for each statement, select whether you were aware of this advice, and whether you currently follow the advice. Sample base = 2043

Slide 27 Aftercare advice findings Compliance with aftercare advice also varies by subgroup Summary of awareness and compliance with aftercare advice (all respondents) B10. The BCLA has some useful tips on contact lens wear and care to help consumers get the best out of their contact lenses. Please look at the below contact lens aftercare advice and for each statement, select whether you were aware of this advice, and whether you currently follow the advice. Sample base = 2043

Slide 28 Section 7 Code of Practice

Slide 29 Code of practice findings Control group (non-accredited)Treatment group (accredited) “Our contact lenses are 10% cheaper than other retailers and can be delivered to your door each month free of charge. We also offer a money back guarantee if you are not satisfied with our products and/or services.” “Our contact lenses are 10% cheaper than other retailers and can be delivered to your door each month free of charge. We also offer a money back guarantee if you are not satisfied with our products and/or services. We are accredited by professional bodies within the optical sector, supported by the General Optical Council, the regulator for the optical professions (optometrists and dispensing opticians) in the UK.”

Slide 30 Code of practice findings Significantly more contact lens wearers who were shown the accreditation (23%) would be very likely to purchase compared with those who were not shown the accreditation (19%). Whether a GOC accreditation would increase propensity to purchase (RCT) (all respondents who provided a valid response) E1a. How likely you would be to buy contact lenses from this online retailer? Sample bases in parentheses Figures in bold are statistically significantly higher than those who saw the non-accredited version

Slide 31 Code of practice findings Over half (55%) say that a logo would make them either much or a little more likely to buy contact lenses from a particular retailer. Whether a GOC accreditation/logo would increase propensity to purchase from a particular retailer (prompted) (all respondents) E1. Would the use of a logo on a website make you more or less likely to buy contact lenses from that particular retailer? Sample base = 2043

Slide 32 Section 8 Zero-powered Contact Lenses

Slide 33 Zero-powered contact lenses findings 7% of the general public have worn zero-powered contact lenses; significantly higher among those aged 25 to 34 years old (21%). Proportion that have ever worn zero-powered contact lenses, by gender, age, working status, household income, socio-economic grade (all respondents – Omnibus survey) Have you ever worn coloured/tinted contact lenses which were not for vision correction purposes? Unweighted sample bases in parentheses Figures in bold are statistically significantly higher than average (minus the sub-group tested)

Slide 34 Zero-powered contact lenses findings Two fifths bought them from their regular optician (41%) or from an internet supplier (39%). Where bought zero-powered contact lenses from (those who have ever bought zero-powered contact lenses – Omnibus survey) Where did you buy the coloured/tinted contact lenses? Unweighted sample base = 111

Slide 35 Zero-powered contact lenses findings 80% of those who have bought zero-powered contact lenses received advice on how to wear them safely. Those who bought the contact lenses from their regular optician or an optical practice are significantly more likely to have received advice on how to wear them safely (95%). When you purchased them, did you receive any advice on how to wear the coloured/tinted contact lenses safely? Unweighted sample bases in parentheses Figures in bold are statistically significantly higher than average (minus the sub-group tested) Proportion that received any advice on how to wear zero-powered contact lenses, by gender, age, socio-economic grade and where bought from (those who have ever bought zero-powered contact lenses – Omnibus survey)

Slide 36 Section 9 Conclusions & Recommendations

Slide 37 Conclusions & Recommendations Frequency of use important – occasional wearers only think about aftercare, occasionally. Relative importance. Lifestyle is an important factor – most results influenced by life-stage and responsibilities (e.g. working hours, family etc.) Advice – more likely to receive among those who primarily buy in-store but may reflect mode and consumer perception Clear evidence that online POS is a growing area and is set to continue to grow Evidence that online consumers have a very different relationship with retailers – MaxDiff Analysis Suggests an emerging set of concerns – ↓ eye tests, ↓ check- ups, ↓ awareness, ↓ adherence, ↑ risk/problems

Slide 38 BMG’s Accreditations Market Research Society Company Partner The provision of Market Research Services in accordance with ISO 20252:2012 The provision of Market Research Services in accordance with ISO 9001:2008 The International Standard for Information Security Management ISO 27001:2013 British Quality Foundation Member Investors in People Standard - Certificate No. WMQC 0614 Interviewer Quality Control Scheme (IQCS) Member Company Registered under the Data Protection Act - Registration No. Z

Slide 39 Questions? Dr Michael Turner Research Director