M&S Launches Industry-First Braille Gift Card and Greeting Cards for Inclusive Shopping Experience

M&S Launches Industry-First Braille Gift Card and Greeting Cards for Inclusive Shopping Experience

(IN BRIEF) M&S (Marks & Spencer) has launched a braille gift card, a first-of-its-kind in the industry, in consultation with the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB). The gift card features an embossed outer sleeve with a ‘Happy Birthday’ message and an embossed gift card inside. M&S also introduced a range of three braille greeting cards for different celebrations. The rollout of the braille range was accelerated based on suggestions from M&S colleagues. The initiative aims to make shopping and card-giving more inclusive for the over two million people in the UK living with sight loss. M&S continues its commitment to creating an accessible and inclusive environment for customers and colleagues, previously introducing the sunflower lanyard scheme and the Easy Dressing range of adaptive clothing.

(PRESS RELEASE) LONDON, 20-Jul-2023 — /EuropaWire/ — M&S has launched a first of its kind ‘Happy Birthday’ braille gift card, developed in consultation with the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB). Joining the gift card is a range of three braille greeting cards – covering different celebrations.

The industry-first braille gift card features an embossed outer sleeve to communicate the ‘Happy Birthday’ message and an embossed gift card enclosed within the sleeve which can be used online or in over 700 M&S stores.

RNIB estimates more than two million people in the UK are living with sight loss, of which 340,000 people are registered blind or partially sighted.

The rollout of the braille range was accelerated following suggestions from five colleagues via M&S’ CEO suggestion scheme. One of the colleagues who made the suggestion, Elizabeth Abudu, who works as a Team Manager at M&S’ Streatham Hill store was inspired to submit the idea while assisting blind and partially sighted customers who regularly visit the store.

Kathryn Turner, Product Development Director at M&S, said: “It has been fantastic to have input from RNIB to bring our new braille designs to life. At M&S, we’re committed to being a great place to shop for everyone. A massive part of that is offering inclusive products that represent the diverse communities we serve day in day out.

“Our customers are always at the heart of every product we design, and we hope our first-of-its-kind braille gift card and range of greeting cards will make it that bit easier for customers to show their love and appreciation for friends and family members with sight loss.”

Ali Long, Director of Consumer and Business Services at RNIB, said: “We’re delighted to have worked with M&S on their range of braille cards. The rollout of their braille range will make such a difference to their customers who are blind or partially sighted. This is a really positive step in making shopping and the giving of cards an inclusive experience for people living with sight loss.”

It is the latest move in the retailer’s commitment to creating an inclusive and accessible M&S for every customer and colleague. In 2019, M&S became the first UK retailer to introduce the sunflower lanyard scheme for customers with hidden disabilities, as a means of indicating they may need some extra support. The retailer is also marking five years since the launch of its specially made Easy Dressing range of adaptive clothing for children, which has grown to include over 50 products.

Each greeting card and gift card design is plastic-free, made of FSC Certified paper and fully recyclable (customers just need to remove the glue dots from the gift card).

Notes to editors:

About the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB)

We are the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB). Every six minutes, someone in the UK begins to lose their sight. RNIB is taking a stand against exclusion, inequality and isolation to create a world without barriers where people with sight loss can lead full lives. A different world where society values blind and partially sighted people not for the disabilities they’ve overcome, but for the people they are.

RNIB. See differently.

Call the RNIB Helpline on 0303 123 9999 or visit www.rnib.org.uk

Media Contact:

Corporate PR team
corporate.press@marks-and-spencer.com
Tel: 020 8718 1919.

SOURCE: Marks & Spencer