In 2019 it was reported that only 4% of beauty and cosmetics brands catered to disabled and neurodiverse people. In the years since, beauty has made considerable efforts to become more inclusive and accessible. A range of innovative products has come to market with this group of consumers in mind, from L'Oréal's HAPTA device that helps those with motor disabilities to apply products, to CyR.U.S Tags, a universal language system that helps the visually impaired navigate their daily hygiene routines. While the movement towards inclusion is positive, retailer Superdrug recently found that 70% of the 14 million disabled consumers in the UK struggle to make online purchases of beauty products, leading them to abandon their carts due to inaccessibility. To tackle this issue, the retailer has equipped its website with a range of personalized accessibility tools to make shopping at Superdrug more inclusive for neurodiverse customers.
The update provides an Assist Me Tool, which enables accessibility enhancements that allow people to use the website based on their individual needs and wants. Content adjustment allows browsers to change the word or letter spacing for those with dyslexia, as well as the ability to adjust page saturation through dark and light contrast and inverted color options for those with impaired sight and colorblindness. Shoppers also have the option to mute sounds, stop animations, and activate a high-focus mode that highlights sections of text designed for those with ADHD in mind.
"We are thrilled to be updating our e-commerce site with these accessibility tools. We believe that true accessibility needs to be both offline and online and are proud to be one of the major high-street retailers who are making e-commerce shopping more inclusive. This technology will allow our customers to modify the website to their own personal needs, helping them to navigate the thousands of health and beauty products we sell with ease and overall have a more enjoyable online shopping experience," says Matt Walburn, Superdrug e-commerce Customer and Marketing Director.
The website adjustment comes after Superdrug's previous efforts to make neurodiverse consumers' shopping experience more accessible. In December 2021, the retailer introduced the quiet shopping hour every Saturday for the first hour of opening, hoping to make Christmas shopping easier for the neurodiverse, who often struggle in populated social environments. Radio stations were silent during the hour, and staff were instructed to be mindful of noise. A quiet room was also available in selected stores, providing a less stimulating environment for those who may become overwhelmed.
Superdrug is not the only brand using technology to make beauty inclusive for all. In January, Estée Lauder launched its Voice-Enabled Makeup Assistant (VMA) for the visually impaired. The app, created using AI, assesses the boundaries of the user's face and analyzes the application to identify if products have been evenly blended, instructing where more product may be needed. The VMA also offers suggestions of different makeup looks to copy, with voice-over instructions provided.
Examples of services and products for those with both physical and mental disabilities provides hope that the beauty industry is becoming more educated, and therefore more willing to make adjustments for all consumers, not only those who are able-bodied.
