German optical industry exceeds €5 billion mark

At the international eyewear trade fair opti 2026, which took place in Munich from January 16 to 18, the German consumer optics industry took stock of the year 2025. According to preliminary calculations, the industry has achieved sales of over €5 billion for the first time, representing low single-digit growth.

“Given the continuing difficult economic environment, the development in 2025 is a solid result. The moderate growth shows that the optical industry remains stable overall, even though domestic demand has developed much more cautiously than abroad,” says Mirjam Rösch, Chairwoman of Consumer Optics at the German industry association Spectaris.

While domestic business grew by around 0.5 percent in 2025, foreign business grew at a noticeably more dynamic rate of just under 3 percent. The export ratio remains unchanged at around 50 percent, underscoring the international orientation of the industry.

However, the stable sales development does not hide the existing challenges. Domestic consumer restraint continues to have a dampening effect, while foreign business is proving more robust. Against this backdrop, preliminary figures show that the number of employees declined slightly in 2025. For 2026, many companies expect employment to remain stable or decline slightly.

In terms of sales, companies expect a similar development in the current year as in 2025, with foreign business again expected to grow slightly stronger than domestic business. At the same time, the market situation remains characterized by structural adjustments and ongoing consolidation trends.

Product and innovation trends in 2026

“2026 will be an exciting year for eyewear and contact lenses. The collections and new vision options increasingly combine a wide variety of designs with functionality and individual solutions,” says Rösch.

Current developments show striking frame shapes with clean lines, complemented by natural color schemes, transparent materials, and targeted accents. In addition to design aspects, functional added value continues to gain in importance—for example, through modular solutions such as sun clips, custom-fit glasses from 3D printing, and new, partially sustainable materials.

In addition, eye health issues are coming more into focus, including myopia management, screening applications, and initial digital assistance functions that complement the classic product range.

These trends were on display at opti 2026 in Munich. The trade fair offers manufacturers, retailers, and trade visitors an international platform to present new collections, materials, and technological approaches and to assess current market developments.