Is Packaging Accessible Enough for Disabled People?

As an Australian activist draws new attention to questions of accessibility in plastic-free packaging, the industry is asking itself what can be done to make packaging more accessible.

Beata Stasak is campaigning to make packaging easier to open and use for elderly and disabled people, commenting, “Manufacturers and suppliers do not always consider people with disabilities and elderly persons when creating their designs.”

An accompanying Change.org petition has now garnered over 13,000 signatures.

According to Age UK, “Often, those with mobility issues… also struggle with dexterity and strength when it comes to fiddly openings.”

Age UK’s work with retailers and the Research Institute for Disabled Consumers (RiDC) has seen an increase in “Frustration Free” packaging, designed to be accessible to elderly and disabled users.

“People supplying packaging have a lot of regulations to go through when designing their product, including environmental issues, food wastage, and food getting damaged before it’s bought and making packaging secure,” comments the RiDC’s head of development, Caroline Jacobs.

“I do realise it’s very difficult because they have to weigh up in a way a lot of competing regulations but I think that it just makes good sense to have packages that you can open easily.

“With an ageing population it just makes good business sense to have products that people love and enjoy opening and using.”