Manufacturers missing a trick

The other day in the shower, as I struggled to determine which bottle was shampoo, and which was conditioner, because my eyes were full of soap, I wondered how visually impaired people cope.

I am sure that many fully sighted people are affected by this problem every day, but if you are visually impaired it must be impossible to differentiate between all sorts of packaging – from shampoo/conditioner to jars of jams and bottles of flavoured sauces and so on.

Almost all the branding and packaging is designed to be seen and not touched.

A simple way would be to put a Braille letter or message on the underside of the packaging so that the blind could tell if it was “C” for conditioner or “S” for shampoo, for example.

Life is hard enough for blind people, with a little thought, manufacturers and designers across the board could make it a little easier.

I am sure this idea must have been thought of before, yet I can’t think why it has not been introduced, except on packaging for potentially harmful substances such as bleach and white spirit.

It would certainly sell more product and generate positive coverage for the brands concerned for no extra cost.

If there’s a catch I can’t see it.

Alaistair Campbell

Marketing manager

The Register

London WC1