A new partnership between product identification company Loftware and technology firm Zappar is demonstrating how accessibility is becoming an increasingly important factor in smart packaging strategies for UK brands.
Loftware is working with Zappar to use its BL.INK technology to generate QR codes designed to work with accessibility tools already used by people with visual impairments. The approach allows users to access digital content without downloading additional apps, aiming to make accessible packaging easier to deploy across large product ranges.
The QR codes provide a single access point to product information such as allergen data, usage instructions and audio guidance. Content is delivered in formats that can adapt to a user’s device settings, language preferences and location.
The development comes as retailers and manufacturers prepare for the wider adoption of GS1 Digital Link standards and the industry’s Sunrise 2027 initiative, which will see 2D barcodes increasingly used alongside traditional EAN and UPC codes.
According to the companies, the technology supports more than 285 million people globally who are blind or have low vision, with potential relevance to a wider group of up to 2.2 billion users who experience similar accessibility challenges.
Beyond accessibility, the system is positioned as a tool for improving traceability and recall processes, while also enabling brands to create new forms of direct digital engagement with consumers through packaging.
