U.K.-based eye-care chain Specsavers will rapidly expand its Canadian footprint by opening more than 100 locations inside stores operated by

Loblaw Cos. Ltd.

, the companies announced this week.

The new Specsavers locations will open within 111 Loblaw grocery stores across the country, including Loblaws, Real Canadian Superstore and Zehrs locations, as Loblaw winds down its existing Theodore & Pringle brand.

Specsavers provides comprehensive eye examinations, prescription eyewear, contact lenses and specialized eye care services. The company said all its locations are owned by independent optometrists and opticians.

Specsavers Canada Inc. managing director Bill Moir said the move would help expand access to affordable eye care, including in some communities where it is otherwise hard to find.

He added that Loblaw was keen to ensure continuity of care for customers and patients of Theodore & Pringle.

“Theodore & Pringle was born from the belief that eye care should be convenient and affordable for everyone,” Irene Doody, Loblaw head of optical, said in a press release. “Specsavers will provide a seamless transition for our optical customers while introducing them to a trusted global leader in eye care.”

Theodore & Pringle will cease operations over the coming months and be replaced by Specsavers by the end of 2025.

As part of the transition, optical services received from Theodore & Pringle, along with personal information, including optical records and purchase history, will be securely transferred to Specsavers, Loblaw said.

Those who received optometry services, such as eye exams, will have their optometry patient record remain with their optometrist. Theodore & Pringle said customers can reach out to them directly for any questions.

The expansion will bring Specsavers’ total Canadian footprint to over 260 locations nationwide and bring it into six new provinces and territories:

New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Saskatchewan and Yukon. It currently has presence in B.C., Alberta, Manitoba and Ontario.

Moir said this brings Specsavers on track this year to care for the eyewear and the eye care needs of over a million Canadians.

The first wave of new Specsavers locations within Loblaw stores is scheduled to open in September, with additional locations following throughout the remainder of the year.

Specsavers was founded in the U.K. more than 40 years ago by optometrist husband-and-wife team, Doug and Mary Perkins. It now has more than 2,700 healthcare businesses globally, serving more than 44 million patients and customers.

While the multinational chain, Specsavers Optical Group Limited, is based in Guernsey, Moir said it operates her as a Canadian business.

The company first entered

the Canadian market with stores opening

 in British Columbia in 2021.

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