Making consumer information accessible to all

Digital labelling doesn't just save space it also stands to make food and drink labels more accessible for all consumers. We spoke to Oran McAllister, responsible for Client Engagement at NaviLens & Pete Matthews, Director of Brand Design and Operations, Kellanova Europe to see how digital labelling is making a difference on the shelf.

Interview with NaviLens

Oran McAllister, Client Engagement at NaviLens

What is NaviLens?

NaviLens is an innovative system designed to assist visually-impaired individuals through advanced coding technology. These unique codes can be scanned from a distance using a smartphone or similar device, providing real-time information about the surroundings.

NaviLens is particularly effective for navigation in public spaces, offering detailed audio description and guidance. Its versatility extends to many situations including product packaging enhancing accessibility and independence for all consumers with visual impairments.

How does it work?

NaviLens works by encoding information in high contrast, colourful codes that are easily detectable using a smartphone camera. These codes are strategically placed in the environment.

Users with the NaviLens app on their smartphones point their devices towards these codes, and the app utilises computer vision technology to interpret the encoded information in real-time. The app then delivers relevant details, such as location information or directions, through auditory cues or spoken instructions.

This seamless integration of advanced technology allows individuals, especially those with visual impairments, to navigate and access information independently in various environments.

What challenges did you overcome in developing NaviLens?

While NaviLens has made significant strides in revolutionising accessibility for individuals with visual impairments, it has encountered its share of challenges over the years.

One notable hurdle has been the need for widespread adoption and integration of the NaviLens system across various public spaces and infrastructure. Achieving uniform implementation requires collaboration with diverse stakeholders, including transportation authorities, public institutions, and private businesses.

Another challenge lies in addressing the potential reluctance or resistance to adopting new technologies, particularly in more traditional or established environments. Despite these challenges, the NaviLens team continues to work towards refining and expanding the technology, leveraging user feedback and technological advancements to overcome obstacles and improve the overall effectiveness of the system.

To what extent has NaviLens been a success?

Although NaviLens is a relatively new technology, it has already made an enormous impact within the world of accessibility. Having started in the transport sector, it wasn’t long before the many benefits of the technology were deemed critical in the advancement of product packaging. NaviLens can currently be found on more than 20 brand name product lines and this number continues to grow.

With further exposure of the NaviLens system in the public eye, interest began to grow in other areas, such as schools, universities, museums, parks, and offices, where NaviLens was viewed as the ideal accessibility tool. The only limitation to NaviLens is one’s own imagination.

Interview with Kellanova

Pete Matthews, Director of Brand Design and Operations, Kellanova Europe

How has Kellanova implemented NaviLens?

As a company focused on equity, diversity, and inclusion we believe that everyone should be able to shop more independently and access important information about the food that we sell.

The idea for using NaviLens came about when we did some work with St. Vincent’s School for children with sensory impairments, who expressed frustration that our packaging was not accessible to them. Through the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB), we learnt about this new digital wayfinding solution called NaviLens and quickly understood that there was an opportunity to make our packaging more accessible by adding NaviLens smart codes.

Following a successful trial, we have been rolling out the codes on all our products across Europe.

What challenges did you have to overcome in implementing NaviLens?

To implement this technology we had to overcome two major challenges:

(1) How to add NaviLens codes to all our packaging artwork

(2) How to connect our product data to the NaviLens app

The recommended size for the code on front of pack is 30mm sq, printed in CMYK. This was acceptable for our cereal boxes but difficult to implement for smaller snacks packaging, where we used a reduced size of 15-20mm, which works perfectly but scans from a shorter distance. On Pringles we worked with NaviLens to develop a 10mm one-colour code, to overcome the barrier of common cylinders in the gravure print process.

To connect the data, we worked collaboratively with our IT teams and NaviLens to find a solution with API links from our product copy databases to the NaviLens server, so that any changes to our ingredients or on-pack labelling information are automatically reflected in the NaviLens app when a shopper scans the packaging.

Finally, to help consumer understanding we connected across Europe with associations supporting blind and partially sighted people to spread awareness for this new solution.

Has the implementation of NaviLens on Kellanova’s products been successful? How?

Today, the NaviLens smart codes have already been printed on over 850 million boxes or bags of our cereals and tubes of Pringles across Europe. We were the first company in the world to use NaviLens on packaging to make it more inclusive and accessible for visually impaired people, enabling them to shop independently.

The NaviLens application has been used more than 130,000 times to scan our products in 35 languages across Europe.

But the biggest success is that other packaged goods companies and retailers are now following our lead and implementing NaviLens on their products. We’re proud to have started an industry movement for inclusive design and accessible packaging.

Does Kellanova have any future ambitions on digital labelling?

Digitalisation is moving at a fast pace. We continue to work closely with the team at NaviLens to test new features in the technology. The latest development is a new function which filters how allergens, dietary requirements, and religious compliance information is displayed in the app.

This feature utilises an AR (augmented reality) experience to display the information by holding your phone near the packaging. A filter button allows the user to display which content is important to them, choosing from allergens, vegetarian, vegan, Kosher or Halal, providing greater transparency to this vital information.

What are the benefits of digital labelling for consumer information?

We see great potential in using digital technology to drive the change towards greater equity, diversity, and inclusion, by providing all consumers with relevant product information, as we are doing with the NaviLens solution.

This example is designed for blind and partially-sighted people, but it has wider benefits for anyone with age-related sight deterioration, dyslexia, learning difficulties, or for language translations. The latest development helps people with dietary requirements or food allergies. We believe in universal design – design for everyone – and digital labelling is a key component to support a transparent, inclusive shopping experience.

On-pack labelling is ultimately restricted by the product size, print process, text legibility, and other factors. But with digital solutions, we can now activate our packaging to provide all consumers with more detailed and tailored product information.