Universal Packaging Design

To ensure your products and packaging are widely accessible, it’s useful to gather input and feedback at the development stage. As a result, you can develop inclusive products and universal packaging design. This can greatly increase your customer base and brand reputation.

What is Universal Packaging Design?

Universal packaging design makes it easy for all potential customers to gather information that informs purchasing decisions. That includes people with a sight impairment. Equally, it is straightforward to open, even if you have limited dexterity.

Changes to Make Packaging More Inclusive

A few small changes can greatly improve the inclusivity of your retail packaging. You could:

Codes – Add a Navilens code to boxes, bottles, tins and jars. Firstly, this helps individuals with sight impairments to locate products on the shelf. Then phone connectivity enables the customer to gather important information, such as ingredients, allergy warnings and price. Aunt Bessie’s, Kellogg’s and Müller are some of the food brands that have adopted this technology.

Braille – Include Braille on packaging to enable Braille readers to gather information in-store. Braille can also help differentiate products at home. For example, which is the shampoo and which is the conditioner? L’Occitane has been using Braille on packaging and products since the 1990s and we’re now seeing it on other ranges including La Roche-Posay.

Easy Open Features – Use contrasting colour, easy-peel labels to seal packaging, rather than small, invisible and transparent options. Tear strips can also improve the ease of opening on a wide range of e-commerce and retail packaging.

Grips – Provide grippy outers for small products to aid handling. An example is Tilt Beauty who produce mascara and lip care products that don’t slide out of your fingers. Faber Castell Plus Grip pens also enable people with reduced dexterity to continue writing.

Font choice – There’s also a high-legibility font that has been developed and is free to download and use. Visit the Braille Institute or search in Google Fonts for more information on Atkinson Hypelegible Font.

Seek Insight on Universal Packaging Design

Finally, there are many other options, so speak to customers who experience difficulties with your current packaging solutions. Then discuss ways to resolve these with your packaging designer and manufacturer to explore other options.