WhatsApp drops, price hikes and queues in solar eclipse specs scramble

Eclipse mania has gripped the public as western Europe prepared for a near-total solar eclipse, the first in more than 25 years. On Wednesday, the shadow of the moon slid across the sun, obscuring up to 96 per cent of its surface in parts of the UK and up to 93 per cent in Switzerland. The scramble for certified safety eyewear turned chaotic, with buyers paying inflated prices, waiting hours in high temperatures, and turning to secret online networks to secure dwindling supplies.

London Queues, WhatsApp Scrambles, and Surging Black-Market Prices

In London, the hunt for certified glasses descended into frenzy as corner shops and transit stations became makeshift trading posts. Protective eyewear that retailed for about £5 in the weeks leading up to the eclipse saw stores with last-minute inventory double their prices. Entrepreneurs capitalized on the shortage, setting up stalls outside Whitechapel tube station to sell pairs at £10 each, while online sellers posted offers on Reddit promising stacks outside Camden Town station at £20 a pair.

A secretive WhatsApp group pinged constantly on Wednesday to alert members about fresh inventory drops across the capital. Yet the high-stakes trading frayed tempers among buyers and retailers alike. Ali Raza, the owner of the AM2PM convenience store in Whitechapel, reported that customers traveled from across the country—including Surrey, Southend-on-Sea, Southampton, and Birmingham—causing immense pressure on staff. At 2.30am we had a delivery from Spain and by 9.30am we sold out [of] everything, Raza said, noting he had already sold 6,000 pairs on Wednesday.

Institutional suppliers faced similar exhaustion. The Royal Greenwich Observatory confirmed it sold more than 15,000 pairs over the past month before running out entirely. Exmoor national park also depleted its stock, with a spokesperson stating they would not need them again not until 2081. Meanwhile, branches of Sunglass Hut posted signs confirming they did not sell eclipse glasses, having been overwhelmed by inquiries.

Bern Crowds Brave 32°C Heat for Last-Minute Swiss Supplies

A parallel scramble unfolded in Switzerland. On Tuesday afternoon, several hundred people formed a queue stretching roughly 200 metres around the block outside the specialist shop Foto Zumstein Video in Bern. Despite temperatures reaching 32°C, around 300 buyers waited up to 90 minutes for a chance to secure certified eyewear ahead of the solar eclipse.

Marketing manager Roy Stahl and a colleague handed out chocolate to maintain morale among the waiting crowd. Stahl explained that a final delivery arrived at 1pm, with strict limits enforced based on common sense to prevent bulk resale. The previous evening, around 100 people had already been queuing outside the shop, according to reporting from the Swiss New Agency Keystone-SDA. Major retailers Migros and Coop confirmed they offered no special glasses, while online retailer Digitec Galaxus reported that cheaper models had sold out days earlier.

Medical Warnings and the Hidden Risks of Unprotected Viewing

Medical professionals have issued urgent warnings regarding the dangers of improper observation. While looking at the solar eclipse is not medically more dangerous than looking at the sun under normal conditions, the risk is greater because it is easier to look at the sun when it is mostly obscured.

“During an eclipse, the sky darkens, your pupils widen, and the glare drops enough that staring feels comfortable, so people gaze at the exposed sliver of sun for minutes with a wide-open pupil and no warning discomfort. That’s why eye injuries cluster around eclipses even though the sun itself is unchanged.”

Panayiotis Maghsoudlou, a clinical lecturer in ophthalmology at the University of Bristol

Because the retina lacks pain receptors, victims rarely realize damage is occurring in real time. Symptoms generally manifest later as blurred central vision, blind spots, or distorted lines. Historical data underscores the risk: following the 1999 eclipse, Moorfields Eye hospital received 1,600 calls and treated 220 people in its emergency department, while Birmingham Eye hospital received about 300 calls and treated 64 people at its special eclipse clinics. Kyla Black, Boots Opticians’ director of optical practice, stressed that certified eclipse glasses that meet the international ISO 12312-2 safety standard remain essential.

Smartphone Camera Sensors Face Permanent Damage Without Filters

Human eyes are not the only vulnerable targets. Technology experts cautioned that pointing unfiltered smartphone cameras directly at the sun can permanently destroy internal sensors.

Jez Samuel, a mobiles expert at Uswitch.com, explained that an unprotected camera lens concentrates sunlight into an intense focal point that burns out sensor pixels. From then on, every shot carries the same dark marks, Samuel warned, noting that repairs typically range from around £49 to over £250 depending on the phone. He advised holding certified eclipse glasses directly in front of the lens for standard shots, while warning users never to zoom in without a dedicated clip-on solar filter.