For small- and medium-sized businesses, the goal os packaging is often to attract a target demographic. However, true market strength comes from universal appeal.
Inclusive packaging design proactively creates solutions that are easy to open, read, and understand for all consumers, including those with visual impairments, mobility challenges, or cognitive differences.
Designing with inclusivity in mind is not just a moral choice; it is a smart business decision that broadens your market and strengthens brand values.
Let’s explore the key elements of inclusive packaging and how a thoughtful approach can benefit every customer.
Sight: Prioritising Visual Clarity + Legibility
Visual clarity is essential for anyone with low vision or colour blindness. Therefore, the design choices you make must go beyond aesthetics to focus on function. For example, high-contrast colour combinations are vital. Avoid common pitfalls, such as light text on a busy background, which can render important information unreadable.
Furthermore, always use clear, legible typography. Sans-serif fonts are generally easier to read than stylised fonts. Your should also ensure a large enough font size for critical instructions, such as ingredients or expiration dates.
Ultimately, packaging information must be readily accessible to everyone, no matter their visual acuity.
Touch + Mobility: Designing for Easy Opening
A product that is impossible to open causes immense frustration and creates a negative brand association. Consequently, designing for easy opening is a cornerstone of inclusive packaging.
Think about consumers who have limited hand strength, dexterity issues, or arthritis. Frustrating features like blister packs, tight-fitting lids, or excessive amounts of internal tape are exclusionary.
Conversely, accessible solutions include tear strips clearly labelled pull tabs, and boxes with simple folding locks.
Many successful brands incorporate a tactile cue, such as a raised logo or braille, onto their packaging. These elements help low-vision consumers identify the product quickly.
Language + Cultural Sensitivity
Global and local markets are diverse. Your packaging messaging must be thoughtfully considered to avoid alienating potential customers.
The most effective approach is to rely on universal, intuitive icons instead of dense text whenever possible. These icons communicate crucial information about disposal, safety, and product usage across linguistic barriers.
Furthermore, if you operate in bilingual areas, providing important text in multiple languages shows respect for local communities. However, remember that using culturally sensitive imagery is just as important.
Ensure your graphics and colour choices are appropriate and not easily misinterpreted by different audiences around the world.
Designing for Everyone is Designing for Success
Ignoring the principles of inclusive packaging unnecessarily limits your customer base. Designing for the most constrained user often results in a better, simpler, and more efficient experience for all users.
When a package is easy to open and information is easy to read, every customer benefits. This commitment to universal design demonstrates a strong, ethical, and forward-thinking brand value that fosters genuine loyalty. It’s time to make your packaging work for everyone.
Accessibility is not a compromise; it is a catalyst for great design. At LeKAC, we specialise in custom packaging solutions engineered for both beauty and utility. We can guide your business through the material and structural choices necessary to create inclusive packaging that is compliant, kind, and commercially smart.
Ready to broaden your appeal and build loyalty through smart design? Contact LeKAC today, and let’s create a custom packaging experience that welcomes every customer!
