Packaging is a critical touchpoint and one of the most strategic levers a brand has to drive choice. It is the one interaction every shopper encounters before a product becomes part of their lives. But while packaging has always been influential, today it plays an even more critical role because shoppers are more diverse, shopping contexts are more fragmented, and attention is more limited. There are over one billion people living worldwide with some form of disability and when packaging is not inclusive, it unintentionally adds friction. When packaging is inclusive, it unlocks new benefits that shape shopper behavior in powerful ways. Research shows that inclusive and accessible packaging can increase sales by as much as 28% in revenue.
At Behaviorally, we use behavioral science frameworks like the Benefits and Barriers model and the 4S Framework featured in the book, unPACKED. Predict Packaging That Sells. By Alex Hunt (CEO) and Matt Salem (SVP). These tools help brands design packaging that works for all shoppers. Inclusive pack design is not only a responsibility. It is also a proven advantage.
Why Does Inclusive Packaging Matter?
The Benefits and Barriers model teaches us that every shopper decision is influenced by two competing forces. Benefits pull shoppers toward a product. Barriers push them away. The more your packaging amplifies Benefits and removes Barriers, the more likely it is to be purchased.
Inclusive design strengthens both sides of this equation. It increases Benefits such as ease of use, readability, confidence, and emotional connection. It simultaneously reduces Barriers such as difficulty opening, confusion, lack of clarity, low contrast, or inaccessible information. When you view packaging through this behavioral lens, it becomes clear that inclusive design is not a niche consideration. It is a universal driver of better shopper outcomes and stronger brand performance.
This foundation naturally leads us to the 4S Framework, which helps structure how these Benefits and Barriers appear during the shopper journey, whether online or in store.
Be Seen
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Visibility is the first gateway to purchase. If shoppers cannot see or recognize your pack quickly, they simply cannot buy it. Inclusive design supports visibility by improving contrast, simplifying visuals, using legible typography, and applying distinctive shapes or icons. This helps shoppers with a wide range of visual or cognitive needs, but this also helps hurried shoppers or those using small mobile screens. In unPACKED, we show that visibility has measurable commercial impact. For example, products that were easiest to spot in the chocolate category were more than 2.5 times more likely to be purchased. When inclusive design enhances visibility, it improves the chance that your pack is noticed in the first place by all shoppers. This initial visibility then sets the stage for the next requirement. Once the pack is seen, it must also be easy to understand. |
Olay Indulgent Moisture Body Wash was awarded for “Best in Class” in Inclusive Design for being the first body wash with tactile symbols directly on the bottle helping those with blindness or low vision. |
Be Shoppable
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Shoppers need to quickly grasp what your product is, what it does, and why it is right for them. Inclusive design helps ensure that your packaging communicates clearly and lowers cognitive load. This means prioritizing readable text, intuitive icons, and an information hierarchy that works even in challenging contexts such as cluttered shelves or quick decision moments. Shoppability relies on clarity. When your packaging includes easy to open structures, grip friendly materials, and clear usage cues, it accommodates real life shopping situations. Some studies showed that 32% of consumers have not returned to a brand due to difficulty opening a pack! Whether a shopper has limited hand strength, is carrying a child, or is scanning shelves quickly, inclusive design broadens the number of people who can confidently say, “this is the one for me.” Once a pack is easy to shop, the next step is to make sure it tugs at the emotions. |
Tilt Beauty’s beauty collection won the Arthritis Foundation’s Ease of Use Certificate for its ergonomic packaging designed for users with chronic pain and low vision. |
Be Seductive
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Seduction in packaging is not only about beauty. It is about emotional relevance. Inclusive design enhances this by delivering a sense of belonging. When shoppers feel that a product was designed with them in mind, trust and affinity grow. Over 50% of consumers have reported higher loyalty to brands that demonstrate diversity and inclusion in some research studies. This does not require sacrificing aesthetics. In fact, inclusive design strengthens aesthetics by ensuring they work for more people and more contexts. That combination of beauty, usability, and relevance creates a stronger emotional pull. It signals that the brand understands real human needs with products. With desire established, the final step is ensuring the pack crosses the finish line. |
Humanrace skincare by Pharrell Williams features gender and race-neutral green packaging with braille wordmarks and numbered dot systems for routine sequencing. It is also refillable. |
Be Selected
Selection is where all benefits and barriers converge. A pack that is seen, shoppable, and seductive is far more likely to be selected. Inclusive design reduces last mile barriers, such as frustration with opening mechanisms or unclear variant differences, and increases the shopper's confidence that they are making the right choice.
When brands adopt inclusive design principles holistically, the probability of selection rises across shopper types and environments. This is the commercial outcome the 4S framework is designed to predict, and inclusive design directly supports it.
What Does This Mean for Brands?
Putting it all together, inclusive design matters because it:
Expands your shopper base by ensuring more people can see, understand, and use your product.
Reduces friction in the moment of decision, which is often where brands lose shoppers.
Strengthens brand perception by demonstrating empathy, relevance, and forward and innovative thinking.
Improves commercial outcomes by enhancing visibility, clarity, desirability, and usability.
Future proofs your brand as shoppers age, regulations evolve, and shopping continues to blend physical and digital environments.
Inclusive design is simply smart behavior driven design. It aligns with how people really shop and removes the avoidable barriers that shrink your brand's potential.
Inclusion Drives Choice
If your packaging strategy does not yet treat inclusivity as a core design objective, now is the time to shift. Use the Benefits and Barriers model to uncover where your pack may inadvertently exclude shoppers. Then lean into the 4S Framework to ensure your pack is Seen, Shoppable, Seductive, and Selected for everyone.
Inclusive design is not only the right thing to do. It is the most effective path to predictable packaging that sells.
Next Steps to Make Your Packaging More Inclusive
Behaviorally helps brands apply behavioral science to design packaging that wins at the moment of purchase transaction. If you want to assess your current packaging or develop inclusive designs that perform better, contact us. We would love to partner with you on creating packaging that works for every shopper.
THE AUTHOR
Outside of work, Michele enjoys athletic hobbies, cooking, and spending time with her family, especially her goldendoodle, Monty.