Walk into any supermarket, pharmacy, or high street shop, and it becomes clear that packaging is everywhere. From toothpaste tubes to ready meals, shampoo bottles to seasoning jars, the average consumer interacts with dozens of packages a day. But for a significant portion of the population, these everyday objects are anything but simple. Whether due to visual impairment, arthritis, low literacy, or simply getting older, packaging can pose real barriers. And as the UK\u2019s population ages, and with over 1 billion people worldwide living with a disability, this isn\u2019t a niche concern – it\u2019s mainstream.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For Boma Krijgsman<\/strong>, Brand & Marketing Manager at JDO Global, this is not just a practical challenge but a brand opportunity. \u201cBy embracing accessibility, brands can lead the way in creating a more inclusive and user-friendly future,\u201d she tells\u00a0London Packaging Week. With a background in marketing and PR, Boma has a strong interest in how design shapes the way people connect with brands. Her passion for thoughtful packaging comes from a deep belief in diversity and inclusion, ensuring that what we create considers and includes everyone. Accessible packaging doesn\u2019t need to be complex or clinical. Some of the most effective solutions are surprisingly simple – larger fonts, high-contrast labels, easy-open lids, and tactile markings. But they\u2019re also frequently the first things to get overlooked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Accessible packaging doesn\u2019t need to be complex or clinical. Some of the most effective solutions are surprisingly simple – larger fonts, high-contrast labels, easy-open lids, and tactile markings. But they\u2019re also frequently the first things to get overlooked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAccessible design often requires thoughtful, user-friendly features such as tactile elements, larger fonts, or easy-to-open structures, which can sometimes be more costly in terms of materials and production,\u201d Boma explains. \u201cThe key is to invest in smart, scalable solutions that don\u2019t sacrifice the overall design or strategy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n This idea – of accessibility as both a responsibility and an advantage – is echoed by Stefan Casey<\/strong>, Head of Ecosystem at io.tt, a digital-first agency helping brands unlock the potential of connected packaging. Stefan\u2019s work spans retail, digital experience, and FMCG innovation, and he brings a provocateur\u2019s energy to the space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMany brands and retailers believe that accessible packaging is more expensive. However, the reality is quite the opposite – it just requires a shift in mindset,\u201d he says. \u201cLarger organisations are resisting change, while agile challengers turn inclusivity and accessibility into an advantage with transformative physical and digital products and packaging. As we age, we demand solutions that truly fit – “one-size-fits-all” isn\u2019t just outdated, it’s a liability.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n That culture shift starts with asking the right questions. Who is this product really for? What assumptions are we making about who will open it, read it, or recycle it? How can we design not for the idealised consumer in a boardroom slide deck, but for real people, with real hands, eyes, and needs?<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt requires a mindset change and to decouple the thinking that it always costs more,\u201d Stefan insists. \u201cYou must look at the entire ecosystem to get the true value and its impact – from choosing the right materials, the design and integration of smart technology, to engaging the right talent partners to execute it all.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n While accessibility has historically been associated with utilitarianism – think grab rails and clinical fonts – today\u2019s leading designers are rewriting that story. Szymon Klos, Senior Packaging Design Manager at Unilever, believes strongly that accessible design can be desirable too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOne of the key challenges is balancing desirability and aspirational design with inclusivity,\u201d he says. \u201cOften, consumers living with a disability don\u2019t want the disability to overshadow their buying experience.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n In other words, no one wants to feel singled out by their shampoo bottle, and they shouldn\u2019t have to. That\u2019s where design can do its quiet work – integrating accessibility into the form itself, without sacrificing beauty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cRare Beauty is a great example of the above approach,\u201d Szymon adds. The cosmetics brand uses rounded shapes and easy-grip applicators that feel luxurious, not medical, demonstrating that functionality and elegance can coexist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIn-tool micro-debossing and textures are a great way to increase tactility, enhance consumer delight and improve functionality,\u201d he explains. \u201cIn this case, better grip at key touchpoints.\u201d The best designs don\u2019t scream accessibility – they simply work better for more people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Making the invisible visible<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Beyond the tactile, visual, and functional aspects, technology is opening new doors for accessibility. One recent project saw Unilever partner with the Royal National Institute of Blind People to launch accessibility-enabled QR codes on Persil packs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe new codes, which were created in partnership with Unilever and the RNIB, can be detected from more than a metre away by the app,\u201d Szymon explains. \u201cShoppers are then provided with the relevant usage instructions, safety warnings and recycling information via larger text or audio.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n This approach – layering digital experience on top of physical design – is where Stefan sees huge potential. \u201cConnecting products and packaging to digital experiences – the most cost-effective, no-brainer – just do it,\u201d he says. \u201cWe are only just at the tip of the iceberg on unlocking what connected packaging and products can achieve.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n He\u2019s not exaggerating. Connected packaging could improve traceability, reduce counterfeiting, tailor usage instructions to a user\u2019s preferences, or even deliver real-time health warnings. \u201cIt can literally save lives or save millions in the supply chain,\u201d Stefan notes. \u201cWhatever the ethics you want to follow, I leave to the reader.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n So why aren\u2019t more brands already doing this?<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe bitter truth is this tide of new materials means increased pressure to analyse and get working within the production lines,\u201d Stefan says. \u201cFunctionality in the majority is being stripped out by most brands and retailers as cost savings to counter material rising costs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s a vicious cycle: as materials get more expensive, brands cut back on the very features that help users the most. But the long-term cost of poor accessibility – customer dissatisfaction, negative brand sentiment, even lost sales – is harder to quantify.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe technology and solutions are available – the call for champions of industry and changemakers is needed,\u201d Stefan insists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Boma agrees. \u201cPrioritising accessibility from the start and integrating it into the brand\u2019s values can help manage these costs in the long term by fostering loyalty and inclusivity, which ultimately improves brand reputation,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Importantly, making packaging more accessible doesn\u2019t always require a massive investment or disruption. Sometimes, it’s a matter of doing the obvious.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cA simple but effective change would be increasing font size and contrast for greater legibility,\u201d Boma says. \u201cClear, easy-to-read instructions and labels can make a big difference for elderly consumers or those with visual impairments.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019ve seen many solutions as both a packaging expert and a judge over 20 years,\u201d Stefan adds, \u201cbut I love the simple ones.\u201d His go-to example? \u201cThe one-handed easy-open Orbit range of metal jar lids from Sonoco\u2026 it makes life easier for everyone with a 50% improved openability.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n These examples prove that accessibility isn\u2019t some lofty ideal. It\u2019s practical. It\u2019s measurable. And when done right, it improves the experience for everyone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Designing with humanity<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n At its core, accessible packaging is not a technical problem \u2013 it\u2019s a human one. It asks us to recognise that people open bottles with different levels of strength, vision, dexterity, and attention. It asks us to design with empathy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThoughtful design can work for everyone, making life easier for all users,\u201d Boma says. \u201cAnd when we design for the margins, everyone benefits.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The challenge now is not just about raising awareness but about embedding accessibility into the very DNA of how brands think, create, and evaluate. That means working across departments – design, R&D, marketing, procurement. It means listening to the people using the product. And it means treating accessibility not as an afterthought, but as a driver of innovation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe need more champions and organisations to embrace it,\u201d Stefan says. \u201cTo stop seeing accessibility as a barrier – and start seeing it as a brand opportunity.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n There\u2019s no one-size-fits-all solution to accessible packaging. But there is a growing community of leaders – like Boma, Stefan, and Szymon – who are showing that it\u2019s not just possible, but powerful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Whether it\u2019s through tactile enhancements, digital integrations, smarter material use, or simply clearer labelling, the future of packaging isn\u2019t just sleek or sustainable. It\u2019s inclusive, and that benefits everyone.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Walk into any supermarket, pharmacy, or high street shop, and it becomes clear that packaging is everywhere. From toothpaste tubes to ready meals, shampoo bottles to seasoning jars, the average consumer interacts with dozens of packages a day. But for a significant portion of the population, these everyday objects are anything but simple. Whether due<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":17891,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[70],"tags":[1453],"class_list":{"0":"post-17890","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-articles","8":"tag-accessible-packaging"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cpmirror.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17890","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cpmirror.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cpmirror.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cpmirror.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cpmirror.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17890"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/cpmirror.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17890\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17892,"href":"https:\/\/cpmirror.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17890\/revisions\/17892"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cpmirror.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/17891"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cpmirror.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17890"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cpmirror.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17890"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cpmirror.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17890"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}