Dutch eyewear chain suspends Meta smart glasses sales over privacy concerns
Dutch eyewear retailer Hans Anders has suspended sales of Meta's Ray-Ban smart glasses in the Netherlands and Belgium amid growing concerns about privacy and the use of camera-equipped glasses in public. The decision was confirmed by the retailer on October 2, 2026.
The company said the suspension follows an ongoing public and political debate about smart glasses and questions about the conditions under which the technology can be used.
Smart glasses face growing privacy scrutiny
The glasses contain cameras and can capture photos and video from the wearer's perspective. The Dutch Data Protection Authority warned on September 22 that people who are recognisable in images made with camera-equipped glasses have privacy rights and that such material cannot simply be used, shared or published.
The regulator also said organisations such as hospitals, courts and religious institutions should consider restricting camera glasses in their premises where people have a particularly strong expectation that they will not be recorded unnoticed.
The sales suspension is not a government ban
Hans Anders' decision applies to its sales in the Netherlands and Belgium. It is a retailer decision and does not represent a nationwide government ban on the glasses.
Meta told Reuters that its camera-equipped glasses use a light on the front that flashes when a photo or video is being captured and that the camera is disabled if the indicator is covered or tampered with.
Hans Anders is part of Nexeye, which operates 776 stores across the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Austria and Sweden. Reuters reported that the company was not selling the Meta glasses in Germany, Austria or Sweden.
Reuters — report on the Hans Anders sales suspension
Dutch Data Protection Authority — guidance on camera-equipped glasses
