HEINEKEN UK's Strongbow cider has added NaviLens technology to its packs, becoming the first major alcohol brand in the UK to add an assistive technology feature directly to its packaging. Rolling out across all Strongbow SKUs in the grocery, wholesale and convenience channels from August 2025, the move aims to build on the brand’s ambition to lead the way in the cider category through inclusivity.
Rolled out as a phased approach, Strongbow’s packs now feature a NaviLens QR code – a high-contrast, smartphone-readable marker that helps blind and partially sighted shoppers find, understand, and engage with the product. The code links to the NaviLens app which shares key details such as ingredients and ABV, along with brand content and store navigation.
At present, 90 per cent of disabled consumers face accessibility issues when shopping, and the RNIB (Royal National Institute of Blind People) reports that nine in 10 people with sight loss find information on packaging difficult or impossible to read. The introduction of NaviLens aims to help the Strongbow brand, and retailers, better connect with an otherwise underserved and under-engaged audience.