Multinational company applying accessible QR codes on the packages of its products

Unilever’s Accessible QR (AQR) adds scannable codes to product packs. The codes provide audio, large text and screen‑reader content with product name, ingredients, instructions and warnings. Built with Zappar and RNIB, the system reached 25 markets and 58+ brands by 2025.

Unilever is a leading consumer goods company, headquartered in the United Kingdom and The Netherlands. In 2023 the company launched a new packaging standard featuring accessible QR codes that can be scanned using existing smartphone apps. These codes lead to a digital platform that delivers relevant information about products, allergies, and usage in accessible formats such as audio, large text, or screen reader compatible texts. By mid-2025 the system was being used by 58 Unilever-brands in 25 markets, with further expansion ongoing. 

Problems Targeted

People with visual disabilities cannot reliably access product details, creating safety risks and shopping barriers in daily consumer life.

Solution, Innovation and Impact

Unilever uses Accessible QR Codes (AQR), which were developed in collaboration with Zappar, a UK tech company specializing in augmented reality, and in accordance with guidelines from the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB). These codes are printed on product labels and can be scanned from a distance using popular accessibility apps. The platform provides audio content, large text, and content that is compatible with screen readers, covering the product name, ingredients, instructions, and warnings.  From 2023 to May 2025, the AQR initiative expanded from a two-country pilot to 25 markets and over 58 major Unilever brands, including well-known names in food, hygiene, and home-care products. Independent RNIB-led usability studies found that over 90 per cent of shoppers with visual impairments reported an improved ability to shop independently, and 70 per cent reported positive changes in daily safety and autonomy. The frequency of pack scanning quadrupled in the first 18 months after launch, also supported by communication campaigns.  Protocols and documentation are available to other consumer goods firms, and advocacy outreach now involves regulators and disability NGOs worldwide. By 2025 training for Unilever staff, suppliers, and retail partners had reached over 7,000 people.

Funding, Outlook and Transferability

The AQR initiative is funded by Unilever’s Global Accessibility Centre of Excellence as part of its inclusive design strategy. AQR was built for scale from the very start. Technology licensing is open to other goods companies, and Unilever partners with NGOs and government regulators for global awareness-building and standards inclusion. (#ZeroCall26)

Pictures

In 2023, Unilever introduced accessible QR codes that lead to information in accessible formats.

In 2023, Unilever introduced accessible QR codes that lead to information in accessible formats.

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