Scotland’s Hidden Food Safety Crisis: Why thousands of people in Scotland Can’t Safely Identify Their Food

Campaign coalition calls for braille food labelling as evidence reveals safety fears and daily indignities

Alan’s hands were shaking as his family member checked the bag of chocolate mini eggs he’d bought for his transatlantic flight from America. The American version contained nuts – and Alan is severely allergic. “That could have been a very nasty surprise,” he says. “I could have been in serious trouble if I had discovered this the hard way whilst somewhere over the Atlantic Ocean.”

Alan, who has been registered blind for 16 years, is one of Scotland’s 180,000 vision impaired residents who cannot independently access the food safety information that sighted people take for granted.

On World Braille Day, a coalition including Sight Scotland, Sight Scotland Veterans, Disability Equality Scotland, and Oban and District Access Panel is intensifying calls for braille labelling on food products – a requirement that has existed for medicines since 2010 but remains absent from food packaging.

“Eating the wrong kind of food could be just as, if not more dangerous, than taking the wrong medication,” Alan explains. “

The daily reality

For Elspeth, who is totally blind and lives alone, unpacking shopping is exhausting. “The tins of peas and beans feel identical – which is which? The jars present an even bigger challenge: jam, marmalade, chocolate spread and peanut butter all feel the same. I don’t want to accidentally clean my teeth with antiseptic cream.”

Dennis and his wife, both totally blind and living in Edinburgh, face constant frustration. “It’s time to make the cheesecake, so we look in the cupboard – well, we would if we could. We need digestive biscuits. I open the packet: hobnobs. Open the next packet: half-covered chocolate biscuits. Open the next packet: rich tea.”

Their question is pointed: “How would you like to be so frustrated just because sighted society thinks it doesn’t matter?”

Why technology isn’t enough

Ann, who describes herself as comfortable with technology, regularly uses apps to scan food packages. But she’s clear about their limitations.

“When I point my phone at a packet, it tends to give me product information before telling me what the item actually is,” she explains. “Multiply this by twenty-odd times when putting your shopping away and you can become very frustrated. These apps can also drain my phone battery, so I must stop and charge it.”

Ann poses a simple question: “I’ve often wondered how sighted people would cope if all food packaging was plain white and you had to open each item before you knew what it contained.”

The European Commission’s 2022 review reached the same conclusion – digital-only approaches fail because they exclude people without internet access, digital skills, or appropriate devices.

“When preparing food, it would be wonderful to put my hand in the cupboard and quickly read a braille label,” Ann says. “I bless the day braille was introduced on medication packaging. It would be wonderful if we could have braille on our food packaging too.”

The precedent exists

Margaret Cowie OBE uses Co-op’s braille-labelled products. “I am very pleased that a number of Co-op food products such as ready meals have braille giving the product name. I can manage my own medication thanks to packaging having braille. I wish more manufacturers and stores had braille on products.”

Co-op has voluntarily provided braille on own-brand products since 2001. The pharmaceutical sector has done it since 2010. The question isn’t whether it’s possible – it’s why everyone isn’t doing it already.

The evidence

A survey conducted by the campaign found that 76% of vision impaired respondents said current food labels do not meet their accessibility requirements. With Scotland’s vision impaired population projected to grow by 30,000 over the next decade, this challenge will only intensify.

Barbara articulates the equality argument: “In a time when equal opportunities and inclusivity are strongly promoted, adding braille to packaging supports equal rights by ensuring that visually impaired individuals can make informed choices about what they consume, prepare meals independently and manage food safety just like anyone else.”

What happens next

Food Standards Scotland is currently developing a Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment to inform potential approaches for providing braille food information. This evidence-gathering phase represents the most significant progress since the campaign’s parliamentary petition closed in 2024.

At Disability Equality Scotland, we are committed to working with Food Standards Scotland, industry, and government to find practical, achievable solutions for braille food labelling,” says Lyn Pornaro, CEO of Disability Equality Scotland. “This isn’t just about convenience – it’s about safety, independence, equality, and inclusive communication. Every day, thousands of people in Scotland face unnecessary risk simply because they can’t access essential information about the food they eat. We need clear commitment and concrete timelines so that visually impaired people can prepare meals and make choices with the same confidence, dignity, and freedom as anyone else.”

Craig Spalding, Chief Executive of Sight Scotland and Sight Scotland Veterans, comments: “Braille is not just a reading system. It is a vital route to literacy, education, and independence for visually impaired people. It gives people the power to access information on their own and make everyday choices with confidence. Yet braille is still missing from most food products, leaving users unable to tell what they are buying or even what they are about to eat. This everyday barrier puts safety and independence at risk and highlights an accessibility gap that can no longer be ignored. We have had braille on medicines for over a decade because taking the wrong pill can kill you. Eating the wrong food can do the same.”

The coalition is launching #BrailleMyFood, asking people to share their stories of inaccessible food packaging. “Every story matters,” says Marie Harrower from Oban and District Access Panel. “Share your story with us by emailing policy@sightscotland.org.uk and help us show why this matters.”

Scotland has consistently shown leadership on bold public health measures. The campaign believes braille food labelling fits perfectly within Scotland’s public health priorities and commitment to reducing health inequalities.

For more information, visit our campaign page.