Solar eclipse on Wednesday 12 August 2026: Bresser sells 10 million glasses in France

French people are properly equipping themselves to watch the solar eclipse on Wednesday 12 August 2026, and the figures are remarkable.

Tomorrow will bring a truly exceptional event: a total solar eclipse will be visible over Europe towards the end of the day. Although the path of totality will only cross Spain, Greenland and Iceland, the display will still be highly impressive across mainland France.

Impressive, certainly - but not without danger. Looking directly at it, even for a short time, can cause irreversible eye damage. With only hours to go before the solar eclipse on Wednesday 12 August 2026, being properly prepared is therefore essential. European leader Bresser has sold 10 million eclipse solar glasses in France alone this year.

“Astronomical quantities!”

Established in 1957, Bresser has become a leading specialist in optics. The German company sells telescopes, binoculars, microscopes, weather stations and even photographic equipment. It is therefore only natural that it offers solar eclipse glasses that meet the required standards. To ensure effective protection during the eclipse, however, not just any glasses will do: they must be certified to ISO 12312-2:2015. Ordinary sunglasses, even those with very dark lenses, and X-ray films will not protect you from the dangers of looking directly at the Sun.

Naturally, everyone wants to get hold of a reliable pair of glasses and avoid taking any risks. As a result, Bresser has seen orders surge in recent weeks. The European manufacturer, whose glasses are available via its website as well as supermarkets, specialist retailers and online shopping platforms, has recorded peaks of up to 10 orders per minute. It is simply staggering.

Consequently, Bresser sold more than 10 million pairs of eclipse glasses in France in 2025. The giant even had to halt sales on 6 August 2026, one week before the eclipse, to avoid being unable to fulfil distributor requirements and orders already placed. Carrefour, meanwhile, is said to have sold more than 210,000 pairs of glasses complying with the ISO 12312-2 standard.

With only hours remaining before the spectacular solar eclipse, finding certified glasses is becoming increasingly difficult. Nevertheless, it is worth reiterating that choosing standard sunglasses or using binoculars is dangerous, as this poses genuine risks to your health. Take care with your phone as well. It too is vulnerable to direct sunlight, and attempting to capture the solar eclipse without protection could seriously damage it.