{
  "id": 566085,
  "title": "Solar eclipse sparks scramble for protective glasses across Europe",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/11/solar-eclipse-sparks-scramble-for-protective-glasses-across-europe-566085",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-08-11T12:40:53.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Local France",
    "slug": "the-local-france-thelocal",
    "url": "https://www.thelocal.fr/20260811/solar-eclipse-sparks-scramble-for-protective-glasses-across-europe"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Protective eyewear for Spain's total solar eclipse has become a scarce commodity, with pharmacies and opticians grappling to keep up with demand. Madrid's National Museum of Natural Sciences has run out of certified glasses, as have many other distribution points across the country. Some pharmacies in central Madrid still offer glasses for €3-€4 per pair, but Barcelona's Carles Sisquella has been out of stock for 10 days. Doctors warn that looking directly at the Sun during a solar eclipse can harm the retina and central vision. In Brussels, people are also racing to find glasses, with pastry chef Arno Dossogne securing a last-minute shipment from a small optician's store. Opticians in France are experiencing similar shortages, with some pharmacies charging higher prices and others running out of stock entirely. The demand has surpassed suppliers' expectations, with France's Federation of Pharmaceutical Trade Unions reporting that customers are buying glasses at a rate far greater than anticipated.",
  "summary": "The scramble for protective glasses has reached fever pitch across Europe ahead of Wednesday's rare total solar eclipse, as pharmacies, opticians and other shops struggle to keep them in stock.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 10,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Toronto Sun",
        "title": "Solar eclipse sparks scramble for protective glasses across Europe",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/11/solar-eclipse-sparks-scramble-for-protective-glasses-across-europe-564657",
        "published": "2026-08-11T11:53:50.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Local Germany",
        "title": "Solar eclipse sparks scramble for protective glasses across Europe",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/11/solar-eclipse-sparks-scramble-for-protective-glasses-across-europe-565397",
        "published": "2026-08-11T12:40:53.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Local Spain",
        "title": "Solar eclipse sparks scramble for protective glasses across Europe",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/11/solar-eclipse-sparks-scramble-for-protective-glasses-across-europe-565467",
        "published": "2026-08-11T12:40:53.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Local France",
        "title": "Solar eclipse sparks scramble for protective glasses across Europe",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/11/solar-eclipse-sparks-scramble-for-protective-glasses-across-europe-565381",
        "published": "2026-08-11T12:40:53.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Local Sweden",
        "title": "Solar eclipse sparks scramble for protective glasses across Europe",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/11/solar-eclipse-sparks-scramble-for-protective-glasses-across-europe-566370",
        "published": "2026-08-11T12:40:53.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Punch",
        "title": "Solar eclipse sparks scramble for protective glasses across Europe",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/11/solar-eclipse-sparks-scramble-for-protective-glasses-across-europe",
        "published": "2026-08-11T12:44:52.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Phys.org",
        "title": "Solar eclipse sparks scramble for protective glasses across Europe",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/11/solar-eclipse-sparks-scramble-for-protective-glasses-across-europe-585842",
        "published": "2026-08-11T17:00:04.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "BBC Science",
        "title": "Solar eclipse glasses 'sold out everywhere' as people look for alternatives",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/11/solar-eclipse-glasses-sold-out-everywhere-as-people-look-for",
        "published": "2026-08-11T17:58:11.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Smithsonian",
        "title": "How to Watch the Total Solar Eclipse on a Live Stream, Witnessing the Rare View of the Sun's Corona From Your Own Home",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/11/how-to-watch-the-total-solar-eclipse-on-a-live-stream-witnessing-the",
        "published": "2026-08-11T20:35:29.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}