Food processing firm nestlé is continuing its work on a new type of packaging that will make its jars able to be opened by anyone, including people with impaired gripaction. Its ergonomic programme is known as &lsquoinclusive design and originates from nestlés partnership with cambridge university, established three years ago. "nestlé is taking a lead role in the development of this design philosophy", the firms uk head of packaging, david wiggins, explained in a company statement. He added "inclusive design allows us to move from good design to great design. It is about pioneering design that benefits all our consumers". Nestlé inclusive design nestlé inclusive design tests have already been carried out in australia involving a technology evolved by us researchers based at atlantas georgia tech research institute.
The technology takes the form of a pair of gloves which simulate how different arms strengths are applied to jars that need undoing. Experts at nestlé wore these gloves and then applied them to five topselling nestlé products to recreate the experience as felt by arthritis sufferers and, working in tandem with arthritis australia, its since established a socalled accessibility benchmarking scale, which allows packaging firms to forecast how easy their designs will be to open. Nestlé easyopen packaging in 2011, a redesigned nestlé easyopen nescafé gold jar was launched incorporating changes on the packaging front, with a &lsquoclickandlock mechanism and a foil membrane that lifts off with minimal effort.
"we wanted to develop a new nescafé gold jar, so gaining consumer insight was the first step", nestlé product and technology centres philippe domansky said. "clearly consumers loved the shape of our existing jar so it was a key brand asset we needed to keep. Our new jar design looks more modern, while maintaining the fundamental shape that says nescafé gold coffee." now, the same packaging philosophy is being reapplied to other products including boost nestlés us readytodrink brand which has an easyopen cap and comes in easyhold multipacks.
