Left on the shelf
More than two thirds of people with disabilities have felt excluded from products and services because they’re not accessible enough, a new survey has revealed. Nearly three quarters have given up on a purchase because of a product’s lack of accessibility. And four out of five say major brands could be missing out on millions of pounds worth of sales by not considering inclusive design.
The survey was carried out by electronics firm Samsung and questioned 1,000 adults in the UK with visible or invisible disabilities. More than half said they didn’t think mainstream brands understand which accessibility features are important for people with disabilities – despite spending by disabled people and their households estimated to be worth £274 billion a year.
The biggest everyday challenges because of lack of accessibility were shop layouts, food packaging and clothing. But technology is helping to make the lives of people with disabilities easier, with virtual assistants, smart home devices and wearable health monitors named as the most useful innovations.
Katharina Mayer, Head of LifeStyle Lab Europe, at Samsung said: “It is an absolute necessity for companies to test their ideas with diverse people with different needs. When designers consider varied needs from the beginning, they don’t just benefit people with disabilities – they create solutions that serve everyone and that is the approach we aim to take to inclusive design at Samsung.”
