Visionary Entrepreneurs: The Farsighted Perkins Behind Specsavers
Mary Bebbington and her husband Doug Perkins, now in their eighties, built the £4 billion Specsavers empire. They met at Cardiff University in the early 1960s, both studying optometry. In the ensuing years, their relationship became both a personal and professional partnership.
The couple, who run the Guernsey-based family business, have divided their responsibilities, with Doug focusing on innovation and new ventures, and Mary dedicating herself to the welfare of staff and customers. Known for her undercover visits to stores to assess customer care, Mary notes that she is now recognized too easily for such impromptu market research.
In the 1980s, the Perkins family was among the retail entrepreneurs who sprouted during the Thatcher boom and established Specsavers from a humble ping-pong table at home in 1984. They benefited from deregulation, which opened up the optometry market for competition and advertising based on price. Their initial revenue for the two stores in Guernsey and Bristol reached £750,000 in the first year of trading in 1985.
A key factor in Specsavers' success was the growing popularity of spectacles as a fashion accessory. Mary observes that before 1984, glasses were considered a grudge purchase due to their high cost. However, once private options became more affordable and designs became available, glasses became more popular. In 1990, the introduction of a "2-for-1 offer" fueled the chain's UK expansion and early international steps. A decade later, Specsavers expanded into audiology.
In 2003, the brand launched its famous catchphrase "should have gone to Specsavers," which led to a long-running, humorous advertising campaign. The phrase gained cultural significance in the UK, with TV comedians adopting it and further cementing Specsavers' place in national consciousness. Mary sees this as free advertising "that you can't buy on the BBC."
Born in 1944, Mary grew up on a council estate and was inspired to study optometry by her father, a shop assistant who retrained as an optician. She faced challenges in her education as a result of gender discrimination, but she pressed on to succeed. After marrying Doug, a Pembrokeshire native, the couple established their first business in 1967. They grew the business to a chain of 23 shops, surviving the economic downturn of the 1970s before selling it in 1980. Four years later, they returned to the industry.
Value for money has remained a core focus for the Perkins family. Despite their substantial wealth, estimated at around £1.6 billion in 2021, they live in the same house they purchased in 1980, and several family members are involved in the company. With over 1,000 stores in the UK and market leadership in ten out of eleven overseas countries, Specsavers is a lasting testament to the Perkins family's entrepreneurial spirit.
Mary Bebbingington, with her focus on staff and customer welfare, manages the lifestyle and welfare aspects of their family business, Specsavers. Doug Perkins, known for his innovative ideas and new ventures, handles the business and finance side of the empire they built together.
The Perkins family, known for value for money and affordable options, revolutionized the optometry industry and expanded into audiology, DIY market research, and humorous advertising, solidifying Specsavers as a significant player in both the UK and international business scene.
