Inability to access packaging has been previously described as ‘Wrap Rage’ (BBC, 2004) and whilst often seen as an inconvenience.
Changing demographics and an increased prevalence of disability has raised the profile of this issue amongst academics, designers, manufacturers, brand owners and retailers.
While the majority of this previous research has focused on older people in the community, the consequences of not being able to access foodstuffs in the community is not well understood.
However, work by Lazarus and Hamlyn, 2005 and Vivanti et al., 2008 has identified that the inability to open packaged foodstuffs and beverages has a significant an effect on the health and wellbeing of patients in hospital and contributes to malnutrition; unfortunately the type of packaging or the reason for why patients had difficulty in accessing package contents was not reported.