83% of visually impaired consumers find information on food packaging difficult or impossible to access, according to GS1 UK, while only 22% believe that accessibility currently factors into packaging design at all – and 78% believe more could be done.
According to research commissioned by GS1, 73% of consumers with sight loss believe that little thought is given to designing packaging for people without sight. Only 22% believe that any thought is given to accessibility in the packaging design process.
56% pointed to small or hard-to-read text as a barrier, while 14% blamed the absence of audio descriptions or mobile app support. 13% underlined a lack of braille or raised symbols.
Food labels emerge as a particular challenge, with 83% of respondents saying they struggle to access on-label information on food packaging. 41% report purchasing a product and later discover that the food goes against their dietary requirements of preferences, while 37% have experienced allergic reactions because they could not read good labels.
Visually impaired consumers consider these setbacks to be inconvenient and exclusionary, but also emotionally draining and a threat to their independence. More than half of respondents (53%) recall asking strangers for help with reading labels, with 36% finding the experience uncomfortable.
26% of respondents say they feel stressed when trying to identify a product on the shelf; 23% feel frustrated, and 21% feel anxious. 83% say they stick to familiar brands to avoid any accessibility challenges.
Vicky Blencowe, a volunteer with the Sight Loss Council diagnosed with Stargardt’s disease, speaks to her experience: “I’m a bit unadventurous, it’s difficult to explore new products when you can’t read the labels.”
78% of respondents believe that brands and retailers have not invested enough in technology that would support them. When asked what would improve their shopping experience, 56% called for large, high-contrast print – and 85% would like a government mandate for shops to provide more accessibility support.
This support could include bigger on-pack text, but limited packaging space can hold designers back when increasing the size of their print. GS1 UK raises QR codes as an alternative, as they can connect consumers to details like ingredients, allergens, and storage – even reading the details aloud via a smartphone – without taking up too much space on the packaging.
GS1 UK adds that 40% of visually impaired consumers have already used QR codes to access product information, and that 80% would use them if they were widely available.
“Consistency is key,” Blencowe concludes. “We need accessible QR codes across everything — not just in the cereal aisle or on a few products.
“The ability to scan from a distance and instantly get information would be a miracle for shoppers like me – and having information on the products stored and accessible quickly in a consistent way would make shopping easier, fairer, and far more inclusive.”
HD Barcode recently unveiled its own solution for visually impaired consumers: HDInfoCode, an advanced 2D code designed to help shoppers read food and medicine labels. Described as “a memory stick on paper”, it can reportedly be accessed offline through a free public app or in-store PC applications – helping consumers with various disabilities access important product information.
Back in 2024, the Swedish Rheumatism Association conducted a similar survey to examine how consumers with disabilities related to hand mobility used medical packaging. It found that 92% of respondents sometimes had difficulty opening medicine packages, with blister packs, bottles and pipettes, and child-resistant medicine jars named as some of the most difficult-to-open packaging designs.
Some consumers said they resorted to using their teeth or a sharp tool to open the pack, while others simply skipped medicine dosages altogether.
Since then, Packaging Europe has reported on various developments in accessibility-minded packaging design in the cosmetics industry, from Tilt Beauty’s ergonomic packaging for mascara and lip treatments to the product lineup from cosmetic brand Rare Beauty, inspired by founder and actress Selena Gomez’s own experiences with lupus.
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