Today, Tuesday 14 September 2021, the Accessible Product Design Alliance has released a joint position statement to highlight the struggle with inaccessible products and packaging, experienced by its 5 million consumers living with chronic conditions and disability across Australia and New Zealand.
The Accessible Product Design Alliance is a group of not-for-profit consumer health organisations that represent people with chronic conditions who are significantly impacted by inaccessible products and packaging. The Alliance was formed in 2019 to advocate to government and industry to improve access to products and packaging that are easy to use for these consumers and to increase research in the area.
The organisations that form the Alliance are Arthritis Australia, Arthritis New Zealand, Cerebral Palsy Alliance, Cystic Fibrosis Australia, Huntington’s Australia, MND Australia (Motor Neurone Disease), MS Australia (Multiple Sclerosis), Muscular Dystrophy Foundation of Australia, Parkinson’s Australia, Stroke Foundation of Australia and Pain Australia.
Products and packaging should be designed to be accessible for all consumers, regardless of their level of ability. Inaccessible products and packaging can cause day to day annoyance for people without disability, but for those who have a chronic condition or a disability these products and packaging can become impossible. Inaccessible products and packaging can cause unnecessary physical pain and discomfort, stress and frustration and impact a person’s independence. With the population ageing, and the increasing prevalence of people with chronic conditions and disability, accessible products and packaging should be at the forefront of design.
Further information can be found:
