GfK Asia Releases First Ever Malaysian Contact Lens Industry Retail Measurement

Malaysian Consumers Retail Contact Lens sales exceed 500,000 boxes from Dec08 till Feb09

Singapore—GfK Asia is pleased to release its first ever Malaysia contact lens retail measurement for the optical industry today in line with the 14th MAPO (Malaysian Association of Practicing Opticians) Fair 2009. According to our recent survey in Malaysia, 25% of consumers visit an optical store to buy contact lens. This is close to the Asian average of 28%. “Despite the current financial crisis, there is a steady demand for contact lenses in Malaysia and we see a lot of potential for this industry to grow in the coming years” quoted Jennifer Chan, GfK Malaysia General Manager. “70% of customers who visit optical shops in Malaysia are adults exemplifying more spending power, while other Asian countries only average 57% of adults. This clearly shows that the Malaysia Contact Lens market is less reliant on children and students. ” added Jennifer.

Strong presence of multinational brands is felt in Malaysia and collectively, they take up about 90% of the contact lens market. Currently the optics market has more than 2,000 optical shops across the West Coast of Malaysia accounting for about 80% of the Contact Lens sales. “Malaysia optics business is still fairly simple in competition. If you compare Malaysia with Taiwan where population level is about the same, Taiwan has more than 4,000 shops. The competition there is more intensive. Good distribution strategy with consistent channel efforts should enable contact lens players to do well anchoring their position as the market grows in the future.” commented Stanley Kee, GfK Asia Commercial Director.

Within the disposal range of contact lens, monthly’s wear type contributes 66% of value sales with dailies contribution taking another 17% while the rest occupies 17%, showing very simple market structure. “While the market is simple, Malaysian consumers is also price sensitive with more than 60% of market purchase value per box falls between the price ranges of RM50 – RM100. The average price of each box of disposable contact lenses purchased over the last 3 months is RM65” says Jennifer.

Other than contact lens; spectacles lens and frames play a very critical part of the total Optics Industry. GfK Malaysia recent survey revealed that more than 30% of consumers visiting Optical stores are shopping for spectacles. The survey shows major spectacle lens brands well received by local Malaysians included brands such as Hoya, Essilor and Carl Zeiss.

GfK Malaysia will begin to track spectacles lens and other optical products imminently to provide the industry with a more complete view of the market in the near future. These much needed studies currently do not exist in the industry and GfK Malaysia will help meet the industry needs.

With Malaysia Optics Industry measurement now in place, GfK Asia is well on track to offer clients a regional perspective of the optics industry in Asia. Existing measurements in place now include Japan, China, Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong & Singapore.

About GfK Asia Pte Ltd
GfK Asia Pte Ltd (GfK Asia), part of the global GfK Group, is a leading research company with over 20 years experience in providing reliable Asian retail and technology market data. Our analysts track a broad range of consumer technology markets, including: consumer electronics, telecommunications, IT, household electrical appliances (large and small), optics, entertainment, gaming as well as digital imaging. GfK Asia covers more than 55 product groups and over 350,000 models, collecting monthly data from over 6,000 specialist / independent shops as well as over 170 organized retailers with approximately 15,000 outlets. This disciplined methodology, together with tight field operational control in every country, allows GfK Asia to produce high quality reports containing reliable information that our clients can use with confidence.

Based in Singapore, with other offices in India and Japan, GfK Asia offers extensive coverage of the following countries: China, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Vietnam, and Australia. For further information please visit our website: www.gfkrt.com

The GfK Group
The GfK Group is the No. 4 market research organization worldwide. Its activities cover the three business sectors of Custom Research, Retail and Technology and Media. In financial year 2008, the GfK Group achieved sales of 1,220.4 million Euros. The Group has 120 companies operating in more than 100 countries. Of a total of approximately 10,000 employees (as at December 31, 2008) more than 80% are based outside Germany. For further information, visit our website: www.gfk.com

Editors Notes:
- GfK Asia currently tracks contact lens market in China (3 cities: Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou), Korea (5 Regions: Seoul, Inchon, Kyonggi, Kyongbuk, Kyongnam), Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia
- In November 07 GfK Group took over the optics panel from The Nielsen Company in Japan. This acquisition allows GfK a very strong measurement representation to the world market for Optics industry.
- In January 2009, GfK Group acquired The Nielsen Company’s optics panel in the USA.

GfK Malaysia Contact
GfK Retail and Technology Malaysia Sdn Bhd (Co. No. 404853-M)
(formerly known as GfK Marketing Services (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd)
Suite 16.02, Level 16,
Centrepoint South
The Boulecard, Mid Valley City
Lingkaran Syed Putra
59200 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: +603-2289-0388

Alvin Chia (alvin.chia@gfk.com)
Sunny Lui (sunny.lui@gfk.com)

从2008年12月到2009年2月，马来西亚隐形眼镜零售超过50万盒

新加坡- 配合2009年第14届MAPO (马来西亚验光师协会)博览会。捷孚凯亚州(GfK Asia) 首次发表马来西亚隐形眼镜市场概况。根据我们在马来西亚的最新调查，25% 的消费者去眼镜行是选购隐形眼镜，这数据相当接近与亚洲平均的28%。

GfK 马来西亚总经理- Jennifer Chan 透露，尽管面对目前的金融危机，马来西亚隐形眼镜的需求仍平稳成长。我们预期在未来这行会有更大的成长潜能。相较於亚洲各国，平均只有57%的成人去眼镜行购买隐形眼镜，马来西亚则70%的成人。这显示马来西亚的隐形眼镜市场不太依赖孩童和学生，而是拥有较好经济能力的成人。

跨国性的品牌在马来西亚拥有较高的知名度，占了九成隐形眼镜市场。目前马来半岛西岸有超过2000家眼镜行，占总销售市场的八成，对于拥有同样人口的台湾而言，在台湾有4000多家的眼镜行，同行的竞争更为激烈而马来西亚的眼镜业则平稳竞争。

GfK亚洲商务总监 Stanley Kee 认为，好的行销策略和一贯的努力可使眼镜业在未来成长的市场站稳一席之地。

抛弃式隐形眼镜显示非常简单的市场结构，月抛占总销售额的占66%，日抛占17%，其他17%。

虽然马来西亚市场结构简单，但消费者对价格频为敏感，超过六成的消费者购买每盒价值RM50-100 的抛弃式隐形眼镜，过去三个月每盒的平均价为RM65.

除了隐形眼镜外，镜片和框架在眼镜行扮演非常关键角色。GfK 最近调查透露，超过三成的消费者会去眼镜行选购眼镜，调查显示主要的名牌镜片如, Hoya, Essilor 和Carl Zeiss 相当受马来西亚人欢迎。

GfK 马来西亚会开始更深入的调查眼镜业的相关产品如，镜片，镜框以提供更全面的行业报告。目前眼镜行业并没有这样的研究。GfK 马来西亚会提供这类研究报告以满足眼镜业者需求。

目前已发表的眼镜业概况包括，日本，中国，韩国，台湾，香港，新加坡加上马来西亚据能力为客户提供眼镜业在亚洲区域性的展望。

关于 GfK Asia Pte. Ltd.
拥有超过20年经验的 GfK (Asia), 附属GfK 环球集团，是一家卓越的市场研究调查公司，主要提供亚洲零售和科技市场资料。我们的分析研究范围涵盖大幅度消费者科技市场。其中包括消费者电器产品，电讯，科技资汛，大小型家电，光学产品，娱乐，游戏和数码影像。GfK 亚洲研究超过55类产品和35万个型号。每月从六千多名专业人士或独立商家处领取资料。当中也包括拥有约1万5千个销售渠道的170个零售业团体。这些有系统的方法和各国之间全方位的严厉掌控使GfK 亚洲可以提供高素质和可靠资料的报告，让客户安心使用。总行设於新加坡，分行在印度和日本, GfK 亚洲业务概括以下各国：中国，新加坡，马来西亚，泰国，印尼，韩国，台湾，香港，越南和澳洲。请游览我们的网站 www.gfkrt.com，以获取更详细的资料。

GfK 集团
GfK 集团目前是全球第四大行销研究顾问公司，其行销研究范围涵盖三大事业体，分别为专案调查，零售销量调查以及媒体。GfK集团2008财政年度营业额达12亿两千零40万欧元（1,220.4mil）目前GfK集团於全球共设有120间分公司，分布在於120个以上的国家。截至2008年12月31日，雇员人数约1万人，当中德国境外占了八成，若虚更多详细资料，请联络至Gfk网站：www.gfk.com.

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