Discrimination against shoppers who cant read

jack_of_all

Hello everyone, this is my first post. I can read, but I shop for some people who cant read and live on benefits. I would like to buy them some of the best value supermarket brands but often I can't because they don't know what is in the packaging. I feel that all products should have some image of the contents by law, people who cant read are more likely to have lower incomes. I'd like to ask if others have experienced this problem trying to save money for people who need this kind of support.

janiebaby29

I dont think you will get very far with this type of discrimination ,
After all its not the supermarkets fault that people cant read
the only thing i can suggest , is maybe approach a supermarket on a quiet day and ask if you can have a helper appointed to you and your party to take you round the store , when doing your shopping

Kimitatsu

If your clients cant read though, have you tried approaching any of the stores to see what it is they DO offer? Not having a go but all stores have to make allowances for those who have a disability (and dyslexia and dyspraxia are disabilities) and so should provide some sort of service such as this. Even if it is only that they have a designated member of staff to support shoppers and take them around the store then that would satisfy the law.

If they dont do that then perhaps you should suggest it - I am sure there are many organisations who would back the campaign and it is something that the stores could do relatively easily with little cost and gain brownie points.

I agree with you that for those who cannot read and write for whatever reason then the branded foods are useless, but the supermarkets will tell you that it is a way of keeping costs down.

terryw

Sometimes packets are misleading. I bought a product showing a tall, strong, kilt-wearing Scotsman but unfortunately there were just oats inside the box.

janiebaby29

terryw wrote: »

Sometimes packets are misleading. I bought a product showing a tall, strong, kilt-wearing Scotsman but unfortunately there were just oats inside the box.

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

weavedribbon

in honesty i hadn't really thought about this before but i entirely agree.i work with people with a wide range of learning disabilities and most of them can't read very well at all.because they're all only teenagers we're generally with them when they do the shopping but if they were on their own, they would completely rely on packaging, pictures and logos of brands they know.and often people who are disabled are people who don't have huge incomes and so need to be able to buy the cheaper brands.

maybe it's worth emailing some disability charities or your mp and see if you could get some support for the idea?

bryanb

Jack of all seems to have attracted posters who can't read.
Op said he does shopping for non readers not with them.
The complaint is that there is no image on the packaging for the non readers to identify the product when they open it at home.

eranou

the thing is though value stuff has very basic labels for a reason and thats if they were to print colour pictures on all the labels this would cost more and in turn you would see an increase in the price you pay

WhiteHorse

This is a bridge too far.

ag120

If I don't know what is inside a box / jar etc. I open it to find out. Simples!

geordie_joe

jack_of_all wrote: »

Hello everyone, this is my first post. I can read, but I shop for some people who cant read and live on benefits. I would like to buy them some of the best value supermarket brands but often I can't because they don't know what is in the packaging.

I don't understand, you can read and you do the shopping. You can't buy certain things because they don't know what is in the packaging.

Have you thought about just telling them?

You won't have to give them a tin of beans that many times before they begin to recognise them.