New research by Müller Yogurt & Desserts has found 68% of Brits living with sight loss avoid the supermarket due to stress. More than a third (36%) throw away up to four items each week, with dairy products topping the list (39%).
The survey polled members of the blind and partially sighted community. It found 77% have mistakenly picked up the wrong item whilst food shopping, with a quarter (23%) admitting they waste an hour every shop trying to find what they need. Poor labelling has also led to 61% feeling concerned they’ll purchase an item containing an allergen they can’t eat.
These staggering statistics led Müller Yogurt & Desserts to introduce NaviLens codes to its packaging to help blind and partially sighted (BPS) people shop more easily. Shoppers can scan a coloured on-pack code to have ingredient, allergen, storage, and recycling information read aloud to them, or view it on their device using accessibility tools.
The brand has enlisted the help of blind broadcaster, Lucy Edwards, to showcase the challenges which the community experience during their supermarket shop as it becomes the first dairy brand in the UK to introduce the technology to its products.
In a ‘supermarket sweep’ style challenge, members of the general public were tasked by Lucy to go shopping for a list of items under timed conditions wearing specialist eyewear that stimulates sight loss. The glasses are used by Thomas Pocklington Trust, a national charity that strives for equality of blind and partially sighted people in every aspect of society. Only one shopper was able to complete the challenge in the allocated time, with no one able to correctly pick up all the items on the shopping list.
The challenge is backed by further research which revealed 69% of BPS people find the supermarket shopper experience hugely stressful. The lack of accessibility also forces the community to rely on others to complete their shop, with nine in 10 turning to family, friends, or supermarket employees for assistance.
Richard Williams, Chief Executive of Müller Yogurt & Desserts, says of the launch “Our mission is to put a smile on the nation’s face, and we can only do that by encouraging inclusivity, and making our products more accessible for all shoppers. We recognise there are many challenges that the blind and partially sighted community face when it comes to a supermarket shop so we are thrilled to be the first dairy brand to introduce NaviLens to our packaging. We want to play our part in helping people lead healthier and happier lives, and partnering with NaviLens will help us do that by improving the shopping experience for BPS people.”
Lucy Edwards, who partnered with Müller Yogurt & Desserts for the launch, says “It’s so great to see Müller introducing NaviLens packaging to its products. I’ve long been an advocate of NaviLens technology and know that it has made a huge impact on my ability to complete the daily tasks that often people take for granted. It’s great to see Müller leading the charge in the dairy category when it comes to accessibility, and I can’t wait to see the NaviLens codes in store.”
NaviLens will be available on all Müller Yogurt & Desserts products and drinks by October 2024.
