More than seven in 10 (71%) severely visually impaired people find food shopping a challenge – with nearly three quarters avoiding it as a result (71%).
It comes as 83 % say information on food packaging is difficult or impossible to access, and 73% of those with sight loss believe little thought is given to designing packaging for people without sight.
GS1 UK commissioned research to understand accessibility challenges as part of its wider work to make shopping more inclusive, alongside collaborations with tech firms like Zappar and Navilens.
It found that buying food isn’t just inconvenient for visually impaired people – but also emotionally draining, exclusionary and a significant barrier to independence that can come with high risks.
In fact, 41 % purchased food only to discover later it contained an ingredient they avoid or cannot eat – and 37 % have experienced allergic reactions because they couldn’t read food labels.
It emerged that the biggest barriers are small or hard-to-read text (56%), poor lighting (40%), ever-changing product placement (23%) and lack of staff support (22%).
Inaccessible shop layouts (17%), no access to audio descriptions or mobile app support (14%), and lack of braille or raised symbols (13%) also made the list.
Leaving 26 % feeling stressed, 23% frustrated and 21% anxious when trying to identify products on shelves.
Vicky Blencowe, a volunteer with the Sight Loss Council – who has sight loss due to being diagnosed with Stargardt’s disease – said: “I’m a bit unadventurous, it’s difficult to explore new products when you can’t read the labels. Consistency is key. We need accessible QR codes across everything — not just in the cereal aisle or on a few products.
“The ability to scan from a distance and instantly get information would be a miracle for shoppers like me – and having information on the products stored and accessible quickly in a consistent way would make shopping easier, fairer, and far more inclusive.”
More than half (53 %) have had to ask strangers for help reading labels, which made 36% feel uncomfortable, and 83% stick to familiar brands to avoid accessibility challenges.
Visually impaired consumers feel ignored: 78 % believe brands and retailers have not invested enough in technology to support them and only 22% think any thought is given to designing packaging with accessibility in mind.
Eighty five % support the UK Government making it mandatory for shops to provide more accessibility support, including staff training, larger writing and audio descriptions via scannable QR codes.
When asked what would make shopping easier, respondents wanted large, high-contrast print (56%), consistent layouts (43%) and staff trained to assist visually impaired customers (37%).
QR codes powered by GS1 solve this by acting as a digital gateway – shoppers simply scan and access product details through their device, with screen readers and assistive technologies such as Zapvision, Be My Eyes, and Seeing Ai ensuring the information is read aloud and easy to navigate.
Large print is highly desired, but often impractical because packaging space is limited. QR codes solve that problem in a different way: they connect shoppers to digital content that works with screen readers, making vital details like ingredients, portions, allergens and storage advice accessible to everyone.
QR codes are already proving their value: 40% of visually impaired shoppers have used them to access product information and 80% would use them if widely available.
These smart codes enable smartphones to read packaging aloud, share essential product information, restore confidence and support independence for visually impaired shoppers with brands choosing to adopt the existing solution, facilitating safer, inclusive shopping.
Anne Godfrey, CEO of GS1 UK, said: “Food shopping can be the cause of not just frustration and stress but real anxiety too. There is strong demand for change and with better, more inclusive options available, it’s time for brands and retailers to take action to make shopping easier for everyone.
“While large, high-contrast print is desirable, it’s often impractical due to limited space on packaging. QR codes powered by GS1 offer more than regular QR codes – they make vital details like ingredients, allergens and storage advice accessible through screen readers and assistive apps. This ensures consistency and compatibility across products, restoring independence for visually impaired shoppers.”
Darren Tan, ecosystem manager at Zappar – who has a degenerative eye condition called retinitis pigmentosa that is currently incurable – said: “This research confirms what shoppers with sight loss have been saying for years: the information is there, they just can’t access it. Accessible QR codes fix that instantly using the apps people already rely on. The technology is ready to scale. What’s needed now is consistency across retailers, so shoppers aren’t left guessing at the shelf.”
Daphne Mavroudi-Chocholi, managing director of RNIB Enterprises, said: “RNIB champions truly accessible design. Accessible QR codes give brands a straightforward way to deliver on this and transform the shopping experience for blind and partially sighted people – and anyone with a print disability. The faster companies get on board, the quicker everyone benefits.”
