World Braille Day
On World Braille Day, Roland DG and Lucy Edwards call on brands to urgently investigate ways to fit more accessible information onto all food and drink packaging, using a variety of methods including Braille printing technology.
There are currently 250 million people with visual impairment globally. This, alongside the increasing frequency of food allergies, means it is more important than ever for brands to ensure vital information on packaging is accessible.
A study commissioned by Roland DG of 500 UK adults with visual impairment found that 81% who were surveyed believe brands should be forced to make their products more accessible by law.
The new research launched on World Braille Day (4th January 2024) revealed 74% have picked up the wrong product when shopping, with 23% picking up something they are allergic to which in some circumstances, could mean life or death.
In fact 31% stated that there isn’t assistance such as Braille or QR codes on packaging, which makes them concerned they will not have access to vital information on ingredients and allergens. While 23% find the experience too stressful when shopping in-store.
In partnership with Lucy Edwards, a social content creator with over 2.8 million followers, disability activist, presenter and journalist, Roland DG is calling on the retail industry to ensure they include critical information such as ingredients and allergens on their packaging using accessible formats such as braille and accessible QR codes.
Lucy said:
“10 years ago, I lost my eyesight forever and my independence was gone. In my world, granola could be dog food, baked beans could be tinned pears and jam could be mint sauce. I imagine a world where I wake up and it’s not this way anymore.
I am so pleased to be working with Roland DG to raise awareness of this important issue. We must do more to help those with a visual impairment to live an independent and healthy lifestyle. I may not have any allergies but for some with severe allergies, having access to vital information on food packaging could be a matter of life or death.”
Supporting small and start-up businesses
At Roland DG, we have always been loud and proud about our support for small businesses.
To mark the next step in our commitment to supporting independent businesses, Roland DG is offering up to five small food and drink businesses from across Europe the chance to get their packaging right from the start of their business journey.
The programme will consist of Roland DG helping to create and print accessible packaging prototypes, in partnership with Lucy Edwards.
Click here to register your interest.
More needs to be done
Those who are visually impaired are getting left behind in a sighted world. Many of which (37%) feel that brands don’t make enough effort to ensure products are accessible to all.
As packaging print experts, Roland DG’s print solutions deliver prototypes and short-run packaging that are accessible by design. Our multi-layered UV printing capabilities are a powerful way to create high quality packaging with Braille, making them the first choice for accessible packaging prototypes.
Getting left behind in a sighted world
The research also reported a staggering 74% of individuals have picked up the wrong product when shopping, due to poor packaging guidance. These types of mistakes have led to many shockingly picking up something they can’t eat due to dietary requirements (31%) and picking up something they are allergic to (23%).
Stephen Davis, Marketing Director EMEA and Managing Director for UK & Ireland said:
“We can see some brands are working hard to make their packaging more accessible, but many don’t go far enough to make product information accessible to those with visual impairment. We, at Roland, are asking brands to investigate ways to fit more accessible information onto all packaging, using a variety of methods from Braille to special QR codes. Ultimately everyone has the right to understand what they are buying, and accessible packaging for all is key.”