A Message To Manufacturers

I love going shopping, but I find it frustrating to read the label's on some products, even with my glasses which are used to help me read small words.

I take my glasses with me, though I often find the writing is so small that I need a magnifying glass, and like many people, I don't carry one around with me; I shouldn't need one anyway if I am using glasses.

My eyes were tested by an optician, and my glasses were made to suit me. I doubt that the optician would have sold me them if they didn't work!

Like many other people in the world, I have to be careful with my diet. I can't eat anything that contains gluten, and certain additives because I have an allergy to them and some nuts.

I have no choice but to check food labels when shopping, because if I eat something that I am allergic to, I could end up very ill or worse, in hospital.

Food allergies can kill people; which is why the fonts on labels should be made bigger.

I went into a store just before Christmas and I wanted to buy a loaf of bread, but I couldn't see the list of ingredients on the package even with my glasses, so I asked for help from a shop assistant. The shop assistant told me:

"You're adult enough to be able to read it."

It's stigmatizing to those who have eyesight problems to say words like these. Some people may be blind, short-sighted, or long-sighted, and have a variety of different reasons for not being able to read the label.

I would also like to point out that some people may also have learning and cognitive difficulties, which means they may not be able to read; while others may also wear contact lenses, and still may not be able to read labels.

We live in a world where the economy is difficult with everyone facing hardship. We also live in a world that focuses on keeping the use of materials and packaging small. This is quite right; of course, we all want to do something to help, but those who have sight problems struggle to see the writing.

The other problem is those who are blind often use braille to help them recognize products, and this isn't always on some products such as bread; yes, they may be able to feel it and know what it is, but that isn't always possible with some products, and you can't smell a tin of vegetables until you open it. Braille was designed to help with this, so it should be available on every product sold in a shop.

However; can we please consider those in society who may be at a disadvantage when shopping, and make it easier for them to read the labels on the products that they buy?

We are supposed to live in a society that is equal and fair.

How is it equal and fair that our disabled and disadvantaged customers cannot always access the tools that they need to help them when in the shops?

Of course, some shop assistants are kind to people with disabilities but there are still some working in shops that do not understand certain disabilities; and, the staff is not always available to help.

Yes, some shops do have staffing issues, but that doesn't mean that a disabled or disadvantaged person should be made to struggle.

I hope one day, that people with sight problems and other disabilities are given more recognition in the future, and that manufacturers see that their small lettering on labels is not helping them.

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