Refurbished glasses: the market is becoming structured!
Smartphones, tablets, electric bikes, household appliances… Refurbished products have invaded our consumption habits with formidable efficiency. But what about optics? Long left out of this revolution, the eyewear industry is catching up and finally tackling refurbished glasses. Between regulatory decrees, investments from major groups, and breakthroughs with consumers, refurbished optics is no longer just a trial run. It's a market that's structuring itself, with its pioneers, its paradoxes, and its immense promise. Here's an overview of what has really changed since our last report on this subject in 2023 …
Used vs. refurbished glasses: the basics to understand
Let's start by clearing up a common misconception. Refurbished isn't simply secondhand. A used item can be resold as is, with its flaws, without inspection or warranty. Refurbished, on the other hand, involves professional restoration: diagnosis, repair, replacement of defective parts, cleaning, quality control… and a warranty. This is what makes all the difference compared to a flea market or online garage sale. In the optical sector, this refurbishment process for a pair of glasses takes an average of 45 minutes of manual work . Each frame is disassembled, sanded, polished, and disinfected. Wear parts—screws, hinges, nose pads—are systematically replaced. The result: a frame that looks brand new and can be fitted with prescription lenses freshly cut for the wearer. At some companies like Lunettologie (Loire-Atlantique) or Oculus-Reparo (Paris), refurbished frames are offered directly with new lenses, fitted to the customer's prescription.
The pool: 110 million mounts waiting
Why is the optical industry so well-suited to refurbishment? Because the raw material supply is enormous. In France, approximately 110 million pairs of glasses are lying unused in drawers , according to recent estimates. At the same time, the country sells nearly 17 million new pairs each year, or one pair every three seconds. This ecological and economic absurdity is something the industry is beginning to seriously address. The environmental impact is far from negligible: avoiding the manufacture of a new frame saves approximately 2.5 kg of CO₂ and about 20 grams of waste. Multiplied by millions of units, the potential impact is considerable. But there's still a long way to go: currently, it's estimated that only 50% of collected frames are actually refurbishable —the rest are donated, recycled, or, due to a lack of dedicated recycling channels, unfortunately destroyed.
2024-2025: Regulations that are finally taking shape
This is undoubtedly the most decisive development of the last two years. The industry has been waiting for a legal framework: it is beginning to take shape. The decree of March 17, 2025, constitutes a major step: it lays the regulatory groundwork for the refurbishment of medical devices and explicitly paves the way for reimbursement by the national health insurance system for refurbished frames. In concrete terms, the text specifies that "the refurbishment of a medical device restores its function and extends its lifespan through maintenance and upkeep, without altering its performance, technical and functional characteristics, particularly in terms of hygiene and safety." Eyeglasses—at least the frame component—are indeed covered by this provision. However, one concrete obstacle remains: the LPP (List of Products and Services) codes , essential for triggering reimbursement from the national health insurance system and supplemental health insurance, have not yet been assigned to refurbished frames. Work is underway to define these codes and the associated amounts. One thing is certain: the reimbursement will be less than that for a new frame. But it will represent a considerable symbolic and practical step forward in democratizing access to refurbished glasses! The issue of traceability remains a point of contention. SYNOM (National Union of Mutual Optical Centers) advocates a pragmatic position: starting traceability upon arrival at an approved sorting center, and not at the manufacturing stage. The reason: during collection, much data (brand, model, serial number) is often illegible or missing. Starting at the manufacturing stage would automatically exclude a large portion of the existing data.
The players: an ecosystem that is becoming denser (and reorganizing)
Zac: The Fall and the Rebound
It's difficult to talk about refurbished glasses without mentioning Lunettes de Zac , the Lille-based company that largely pioneered the field. The bad news: the startup was liquidated in the summer of 2024 , a major blow for a sector that relied on it as a showcase. But the good news: the Zac brand hasn't disappeared. Atol Les Opticiens acquired a stake in the Zac startup in 2025, with the ambition of rolling out a refurbished frame offering in its 795 stores across France. A radical change of scale. "The market is ripe, but refurbishment has to be done right: inspected, traceable, reliable. A new model is possible," says Éric Plat, CEO of Atol.
Listen & Watch: a long-standing committed network
The Écouter Voir mutual group is among the pioneers in the sector. Since its partnership with Zac launched in May 2023, 280,000 frames have been collected via collection boxes in its 750 stores, up to December 2024. More than 260 stores in the network already offer refurbished sunglasses for sale at the fixed price of 69 euros . The stated ambition is now to offer refurbished prescription glasses as soon as the regulatory framework allows.
Optic 2000 and its "Review" program
The optical giant is not to be outdone. Launched in 2022, Optic 2000's " Revue " program collected 775,000 frames in 2024 alone . Sorting is entrusted to an ESAT (Établissement et Service d'Aide par le Travail – a sheltered workshop), reinforcing the social impact of the initiative. The company remains cautious regarding regulations, however, stating that it is "attentive to changes in the framework" before rolling out a large-scale commercial offering.
Krys Group and Seecly
For its part, Krys Group chose to partner with Seecly , a specialized marketplace based in Éguilles (near Aix-en-Provence). The result: one million pairs of glasses collected over the same period. Seecly promises savings of up to 80% on designer frames, with an average of around 50%. The platform also allows individuals to sell their own unused frames, promoting a short supply chain.
The Post Office joins the fray
A symbol of the sector's growing strength: In 2024, La Poste launched a pilot program to collect and resell refurbished eyeglasses in 103 post offices , including about fifteen in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. The partnership with Zac enabled the collection of 300,000 frames , representing 6 tons of recycled metal and plastic. Sunglasses priced at €45 and magnifying glasses at €29 are now available in participating post offices.
Lunettologie and Oculus-Reparo: the independent players
Independent opticians also hold a prominent position. Lunettologie , based in Saint-Sébastien-sur-Loire, segments its offering into three price levels: 39, 69, or 99 euros depending on the condition of the frame. Its "recycled" frames are particularly popular as a second pair or for those with limited health insurance coverage. Oculus-Reparo , based in Paris, offers frames restored by hand by a qualified optician, each model being unique—with the option of adding corrective lenses directly online, thanks to a partnership with L'Opticien Parisien.
Consumers are ready, but opticians are still hesitant.
On the public side, the signs are encouraging. According to a 2024 Odoxa study , nearly one in two French people (47%) say they are ready to buy refurbished glasses. The same trend is seen with the national health insurance system: 80% of French people want to be able to refurbish their medical devices, and 60% would be willing to keep their frames when simply changing lenses.
Professionals, on the other hand, remain more cautious. In November 2024, 70% of opticians were still reluctant to offer refurbished glasses—a figure that has even increased compared to 2023. Concerns focus on traceability, legal liability in case of problems, and competition with their new offerings. These are understandable obstacles, but they tend to diminish as the regulatory framework becomes clearer and initial field experiences prove successful.
Refurbished glasses: limits not to be underestimated
The picture wouldn't be complete without mentioning the shortcomings. Technically, only one in two frames can be repaired : incompatible materials, unavailable parts, shapes unsuitable for progressive lenses. And despite good intentions, the recycling rate remains very high—up to 90% of collected glasses still end up being crushed . On the online market, quality is inconsistent. The sector therefore needs clear standards, rigorous certification, and increased transparency—exactly what institutional players are currently trying to establish.
Conclusion: a maturing market, one to watch closely!
In just two years, the refurbished eyeglasses market has gone from an experimental stage to a structured market. Major chains are getting involved, legislation is evolving in the right direction, and consumers are responding positively. Real obstacles remain—technical, regulatory, and health-related—but the momentum is there.
For independent opticians, it's an opportunity to seize, not only to diversify their offerings but also to meet a genuine demand for meaningful products from their customers. And for eyeglass wearers, it's the promise of acquiring high-quality, responsible, and much more affordable eyewear.
Refurbished eyewear is no longer a niche curiosity. This is an emerging sector — and the coming years, particularly with the allocation of LPP codes, could well make it a definitive everyday reality.
Sources: Acuité.fr, L'Essentiel de l'Éco, RecyclOptics, La Poste Groupe, Seecly, Oculus-Reparo, L'Express Franchise, Marcelle Media — data and information updated in 2025.
