Retailers and health authorities across the UK are grappling with a shortage of certified eclipse glasses just days before Wednesday's solar eclipse, described by some outlets as the most prominent seen in Britain in 27 years, according to the Irish Times, though separate reporting from the Independent describes it as the most complete solar eclipse for the UK in the next 54 years. Coverage estimates vary by region, with around 90% of the Sun expected to be obscured over parts of England and up to 95% in Scotland, leaving many would-be viewers scrambling to find protective gear before the event on 12 August 2026.
At one bakery in central London, staff reported unusually high foot traffic driven not by pastries but by eclipse glasses. A staff member told the BBC:
I've sold, like, 100 this morning.
Customers queuing outside said they had turned to unconventional methods after failing to secure glasses through normal retail channels. One shopper waiting to buy three pairs on Monday explained their approach:
I Googled 'where can I get eclipse glasses but not through the post', because I realised I was too late.
Another customer in the queue echoed the sentiment, saying:
People have been struggling to find them all over.
The scramble has been felt well beyond the capital. In Looe, Cornwall, Peter Friend, a local tourism business leader, said his organisation had bought 80 pairs to hand out to visitors ahead of the partial eclipse due on Wednesday evening, and that all of them were snapped up "within 10 minutes". He said there was "a queue along the quay" as people sought the glasses, and that many local businesses had ordered stock that would now "fail to arrive on time".
How is the shortage affecting Scotland?
In Scotland, where up to 95% of the Sun is expected to disappear behind the Moon, the search for protective eyewear has proven equally frustrating. The Moon is due to start moving in front of the Sun there at about 18:00, with the whole event expected to last around two hours. Our earlier coverage set out where to watch Scotland's best eclipse view in nearly 30 years and how to do so safely.
In Glasgow city centre, opticians said they had fielded a large number of calls from people desperately asking whether they had any eclipse glasses in stock, but many shops had decided not to stock the protective eyewear at all. A sign in the window of Specsavers on Argyle Street read: "We do not sell glasses for watching the solar eclipse." Giles Edmonds, the company's clinical services director, explained the decision:
With the type of glasses required for viewing the eclipse, being a single-use item and designed for a relatively rare event, we've decided not to produce or supply them this time as it's not the most sustainable choice for us.
He added that people should only buy genuine products from reputable sellers and should not use an old pair of eclipse glasses without first checking them for damage. Nearby, specialist photography retailer Jessops posted signs in its Glasgow shop window reading: "Sorry, we are SOLD OUT of solar eclipse glasses. To our knowledge, everywhere else is sold out too." Staff at the chain's Sauchiehall Street branch said the glasses had been in stock for several months but had all been snapped up, with no more available.
Some shoppers have already accepted defeat and turned to homemade alternatives. Caitlin Fowler, who plans to watch the eclipse from Queen's Park in Glasgow, said:
I've not tried to find a pair of eclipse glasses because I have no idea where I would find them and I don't think there are many places that sold them. I've read the safety information and it should be cheap and easy enough to make a pinhole projector.
Her companion, Morgan Brand, added: "We've left it too late for Amazon Prime so I think DIY will be the way." Not everyone will get the chance to try. Douglas Rodger said his sister had managed to find a pair, but he would be at work during the eclipse and would miss it. "I heard on the news that someone had tried to buy eclipse glasses but they would not arrive until Friday," he said. "I don't think it is worthwhile trying to get them and I've not seen anywhere I could have bought them."
Laura McPhee, who has travelled from Germany to Glasgow with her family for the World Pipe Band Championships, said she had been surprised to learn the eclipse would even be visible from Scotland. "I heard Spain was the best place to watch it but as we are on holiday, I checked if you can see it in Scotland and it is possible," she said. "I think the kids would love it but we don't have the glasses so I need to go out and have a look for them." She recalled watching a previous eclipse as a child with her family all wearing eclipse glasses, calling it "very exciting".
The shortage extends beyond Glasgow. Camera Obscura and World of Illusions in Edinburgh said on social media that it had sold out due to high demand, though it has reserved a limited supply for visitors watching from its rooftop terrace on a first-come, first-served basis. In Dundee, Leisure and Culture Dundee said it had sold 600 pairs of eclipse glasses ahead of a viewing event at Broughty Castle Museum, most of them sourced from a charity the organisation had previously worked with at Dundee's Mills Observatory. Engagement officer Paul Campbell said:
It's fantastic to see so much enthusiasm for this rare celestial spectacle and the chance to witness a moment that will be remembered for years to come. We would remind everyone attending to bring approved eclipse viewing glasses and never look directly at the sun without certified eye protection.
How is demand affecting North West England?
The shortage has also hit high streets in North West England. Karen Smith, who runs Booker Avenue Post Office in south Liverpool, said she had completely sold out of specialist glasses after being "inundated" by eclipse enthusiasts. She told BBC North West Tonight:
It has exploded and we can't keep up with the demand.
Smith said the glasses had been supplied by a customer, Jim, a retired scientist, and that staff had been staying late to fulfil orders in time for what she called a once-in-a-generation event. She said the last-minute demand had been "crazy" and that they had repeatedly had to ring Jim for more supplies. "They've not been able to make them up quick enough," she said, adding: "We try to fulfil everyone's order... but it's just been difficult. Apologies for anybody that hasn't been able to get them." Smith said Jim was "delighted" with the demand, especially from young science enthusiasts, with local children telling her they planned to watch the eclipse from the highest hill in Sefton Park. The eclipse is expected to peak in North West England at around 19:10 BST, a slightly earlier time than the "just after 7pm" UK-wide maximum cited elsewhere in coverage of the event.
Why are glasses in such short supply?
The surge in demand has cleared out stock at both physical shops and online retailers in the run-up to the eclipse. Even the Royal Museums Greenwich, which UK health officials had specifically recommended as a trustworthy seller, said it had run out entirely both online and in its shops because of what it described as an unprecedented volume of orders, a shortage also confirmed in a report on the UK high street shortage. According to the Independent, the observatory said roughly 15,000 pairs of glasses had been bought in the past month alone. Sky at Night Magazine reports the observatory still plans limited on-site sales on 11 and 12 August, and further detail from Sky at Night Magazine indicates sales at the Royal Observatory Greenwich and National Maritime Museum shops will be capped at five pairs per person on those two days. Pairs still listed online either carry steep next-day shipping charges or cannot be delivered before Wednesday at all. One UK retailer, SolarOptics, said it had already reached its delivery cutoff for the 12 August eclipse and was no longer accepting new retail orders.
The scramble is not confined to Britain. According to a report on the European scramble for protective glasses, demand has surged well beyond the UK to pharmacies, opticians and other shops across the continent, which are struggling to keep the eyewear in stock. The same report notes that Carrefour's Spanish unit said demand for eclipse glasses had grown twentyfold in recent days compared with the same period the previous month.
Our earlier coverage detailed how demand for safe viewing has been building for days, including a regional guide to the best places and times to watch the eclipse and preparations under way in Yorkshire, where up to 92% of the Sun is expected to disappear behind the Moon. Elsewhere, Cambridge astronomers have travelled to Spain and the Faroe Islands to see the total phase of Wednesday's eclipse, while the East of England prepares for its deepest partial eclipse since 1999.
How can viewers stay safe?
The UK Health Security Agency has advised that any glasses used must carry the international safety standard ISO 12312-2 printed on the lenses, and that lenses should be free of scratches, tears or other damage. Guidance published by the agency on 23 July 2026 specifies the exact certification, ISO 12312-2:2015(E), and warns that ordinary sunglasses are not adequate for eclipse viewing. The European Space Agency has issued similar guidance, stating that regular sunglasses are not safe for eclipse viewing and that only certified eclipse glasses should be worn during the partial phases, according to the European Space Agency. The UK agency has also urged caution around glasses bought through informal online listings, as the shortage has pushed some buyers toward tips shared on social media rather than verified retailers.
Our own earlier coverage detailed three safe household methods for watching the eclipse without glasses — a pinhole projector, a colander and a box viewer — for readers unable to source certified eyewear in time.
David Jones, a consultant ophthalmologist at Royal Cornwall Hospital, said the safest way to view the eclipse was through certified glasses meeting the ISO 12312-2 standard, or by viewing it indirectly. He warned that looking directly at the eclipse risks burning the retina, which he described as "the lining at the back of the eye that acts like a film in a camera". He added:
Your eye, being a very strong magnifying glass, will actually magnify the sun's rays on to your retina and can potentially burn it. So, if you can possibly resist the temptation - it's really difficult to resist - there are a number of things you can do to enjoy it.
Suggested alternatives to certified glasses include viewing the eclipse through a colander or a home-made pinhole viewer. Catherine Heymans, Astronomer Royal for Scotland, recommended the same low-tech approach: "The next best thing is a colander," she said, or any household object with small holes. She explained how the effect works:
Normally the sunlight shines through the holes but during the eclipse, chunks will be eaten out of the Sun, and at the peak, it will just be the arc in the shadow of the colander.
She also warned that phone cameras can be damaged by the Sun in the same way human eyes can, and that cameras can be protected using eclipse glasses held over the lens. French health authorities have gone further, warning that smoked glass, radiology film and ordinary sunglasses offer what they call "very insufficient" protection, and cautioning that the Sun should never be viewed through optical instruments or a phone, according to France's health ministry. French officials have specified that adequate eyewear must be "completely opaque to normal light" and carry CE conformity marking alongside the ISO 12312-2 certification, according to Le Monde.
The Royal College of Ophthalmologists has warned that even a small amount of sunlight breaking through inadequate glasses can cause harm, and recommends that the safest way to experience the eclipse is indirectly, such as through a livestream or broadcast coverage. The college's president, Mohamed Elalfy, explained why the risk can go unnoticed at the time:
Crucially, the retina has no pain receptors, so people will not feel the damage as it happens.
The college has recorded around 70 cases of vision problems linked to viewing the 1999 total solar eclipse, with roughly 40% of those affected having looked at the Sun for less than a minute. That earlier event is also the subject of an account from a man left permanently blinded in part after watching without proper protection, who has been urging the public to use certified eyewear this time. That man, Peter Smith, was among those roughly 70 people recorded by the college as having suffered eye damage in 1999. He said the effects have persisted decades later:
Even now, there's residual impact. When I'm tired sometimes a flashing dot might come back, and it's not nice when it does.
Imo Bell, a planetarium astronomer at the Royal Observatory Greenwich, stressed that ordinary sunglasses offer no meaningful protection and should not be used as a substitute. Speaking to the PA news agency, she said:
They block out so much light that you can't see anything through them except the Sun.
She added that the rarity of Wednesday's event makes preparation essential:
We're not going to get one this good for a really long time. So, it's important not to miss it, and to be prepared.
When will the eclipse be visible in Devon and Cornwall?
In Devon and Cornwall, the eclipse is expected to begin at approximately 18:18 BST, peak at around 19:15 and finish by about 20:10, with a number of associated public events being held across both counties. Astronomy groups elsewhere in the South West and in the Channel Islands are also hosting free and ticketed viewing events as an alternative to sourcing individual glasses, while in Guernsey, an astronomer has urged residents to view the eclipse safely, noting the island will not see another total eclipse until 2081.
Carolyn Kennett, an astro-archaeologist from Penzance who studies how ancient cultures interacted with the sky, said that before modern scientific knowledge, safety advice around eclipses would have been scarce. She said sudden daytime darkness has long provoked strong reactions:
All the way through history, people talk and write about the awe and the terror they brought to different cultures. Those people didn't have the scientific knowledge about what was happening - suddenly the world in the daytime would have gone dark.
Kennett said she was hoping for clear skies in Cornwall but had travelled to Spain in the hope of catching a full eclipse there instead.
Why does this eclipse matter beyond the UK?
While the UK will experience a deep partial eclipse, Wednesday's event is a rare total solar eclipse along a path crossing the Arctic Ocean, Greenland, Iceland, the Atlantic Ocean, France, Portugal and northern Spain, according to Le Monde's reporting on the shortage in France. That total-eclipse path is part of why demand for certified glasses has been so intense across mainland Europe, not just in Britain.
Is this a wider European problem?
The shortage is not confined to the UK. According to the report on the UK high street shortage, the Royal Observatory Greenwich sold out both online and in shops, with some online listings showing delivery dates as late as Thursday, 13 August 2026 — a day after the eclipse itself. French health authorities warned as early as 22 July that demand would spike sharply just before 12 August, according to Le Monde, which reported that many Intermarché supermarkets in tourist areas had already exhausted their stock. Supermarket chain Carrefour said it had sold more than 160,000 pairs of eclipse glasses in France, including nearly 138,000 in July and early August alone, according to the same Le Monde report. Alain Cirou of the French Astronomy Association warned back in mid-April that local authorities could ban public gatherings if organisers could not guarantee sufficient organisation or protective measures, a warning French astronomy groups have since repeated as the eclipse approaches.
In Belgium, the main optics supplier Urania had already sold 130,000 pairs this year and still had 50,000 remaining, but closed its online shop because it could no longer guarantee timely processing of orders, according to the Brussels Times, which also reported that stock at the MIRA observatory in Grimbergen had fallen from 13,000 pairs to just 5,000 within a few days, with no new deliveries planned. In Switzerland, major retailers including Migros, Coop, Jumbo, Fust and Interdiscount were not stocking special eclipse glasses at all, while Digitec Galaxus said its cheaper certified models had sold out entirely and that new stock was not expected until toward the end of August, according to Bluewin.
Not every country is facing the same squeeze. Spain's government and the national organisation ONCE began distributing two million free eclipse glasses on 3 August 2026, with distribution continuing until stocks run out, according to RTVE, a figure corroborated by a separate Spanish report. In Ireland, Munster Technological University is making 6,500 free eclipse glasses available at select locations in Cork ahead of the eclipse, according to Blackrock Castle Observatory. Separately, manufacturer Lunt Solar Systems said nearly two million certified glasses were available through Amazon fulfilment centres in France and Spain with next-day delivery, as reported by World Energy News.
What happens next?
The partial solar eclipse is scheduled for 12 August 2026, with maximum eclipse in the UK expected just after 7pm and the event ending just after 8pm, according to Sky at Night Magazine, though the Independent reports more than 90% of the Sun will be obscured between 6.17pm and 8.06pm, and North West England is expected to peak slightly earlier, at around 19:10 BST. Retailers and officials across Europe expect remaining stock to disappear entirely before then. Belgian opticians told the Brussels Times that most shops they contacted anticipated running out by the end of the week, while Digitec Galaxus in Switzerland said restocking of some sold-out models was not expected until toward the end of August, well after the eclipse has passed. French health authorities have specifically flagged the period immediately before 12 August as when demand for protective glasses would peak, according to Le Monde, and French astronomy groups have also warned that local authorities could restrict public gatherings if organisers cannot guarantee adequate safety measures. Spain's free-glasses scheme and the Cork distribution in Ireland are both set to continue only while supplies last, with no confirmed date for restocking once current stock runs out. The Royal Observatory Greenwich says it will offer limited on-site sales, capped at five pairs per person, at its Greenwich and National Maritime Museum shops on 11 and 12 August, according to Sky at Night Magazine. For those still hoping to watch safely, astronomy groups in the South West of England and the Channel Islands are hosting free and ticketed viewing events as an alternative to sourcing individual glasses, while venues in Edinburgh, Dundee and Liverpool are offering limited on-site glasses or supplies for their own scheduled viewing events.
Key Facts
- Wednesday's eclipse will obscure roughly 90% of the Sun in England and up to 95% in Scotland, with UK maximum eclipse expected just after 7pm BST, Devon and Cornwall peaking around 19:15, and North West England peaking at about 19:10 BST.
- The Royal Museums Greenwich and retailer SolarOptics have both stopped taking online orders; Greenwich plans limited on-site sales, capped at five pairs per person, on 11 and 12 August, and says roughly 15,000 pairs were bought in the past month, according to the Independent.
- Only glasses marked with international safety standard ISO 12312-2:2015(E) are considered safe, per UK health officials and the European Space Agency; French authorities also require CE conformity marking.
- The Royal College of Ophthalmologists recorded around 70 vision-related cases following the 1999 eclipse, including roughly 40% of those affected who had looked at the Sun for less than a minute.
- Carrefour's Spanish unit reported eclipse-glasses demand growing twentyfold in recent days, according to a report on the European scramble for protective glasses.
