ISO 11156:2011

Overview

ISO 11156:2011 - Packaging - Accessible design - General requirements provides a practical framework for designing and evaluating packages so they can be identified, handled and used by as many people as possible. The standard focuses on accessibility for older adults, people with sensory, physical or cognitive impairments, people with allergies, and users from different cultural or linguistic backgrounds. It covers the full packaged‑product lifecycle from identification and purchase through use, separation and disposal. ISO 11156:2011 does not prescribe dimensions, materials, manufacturing methods, or specific test methods for individual packages.

Key Topics and Requirements

• Information and marking
  • Legible characters (size, font, contrast, color) and understandable pictograms.
  • Use of Braille and tactile cues, and consideration for alternative formats (e.g., ICT-based information) for ingredient/allergen details.
  • Essential information must be placed conspicuously and remain legible after opening.
• Identification
  • Visual (colour selection considerate of colour‑vision impairments), tactile (raised characters, notches), and shape cues for distinguishing products.
• Openings and mechanisms
  • Clear indication of opening position and method (visual or graphic instruction).
  • Design for easy opening and reliable re‑closing (e.g., tactile/auditory feedback).
• Handling and manipulation
  • Portability (size, mass, balance), controlled dispensing, spill prevention, and full-content access.
  • Storage, stability, and visibility of key information during storage.
• Separation and disposal
  • Clear material identification and designs that facilitate sorting, safe disposal and various end‑of‑life scenarios.
• Evaluation of accessibility
  • Consider all packaging stages and user contexts.
  • Use both instrument‑based (quantified forces, torques) and user‑based evaluations in parallel.
• Special considerations for harmful contents
  • Conspicuous danger markings, alternative formats for hazard info, and container design to reduce misuse and accidental harm.

Practical Applications

• Designing consumer packaging (food, pharmaceuticals, household chemicals) with inclusive labeling and easy‑open features.
• Developing allergen and safety labeling strategies that reach users with vision or language barriers.
• Creating reclosable containers with tactile/auditory confirmation to improve usability.
• Guiding packaging design for better recycling separation and safe disposal.

Who Should Use This Standard

• Packaging designers and engineers
• Product safety and regulatory teams
• Accessibility specialists and UX researchers
• Manufacturers, brand owners and retailers
• Test laboratories and compliance assessors

Related standards

• ISO 21067 (Packaging - Vocabulary)
• ISO/IEC 19762 (AIDC vocabulary)
• ISO/IEC Guide 71 and ISO/TR 22411 (accessibility guidance)
• ISO 11683 (tactile discrimination marking)

Keywords: ISO 11156, accessible packaging, packaging design, accessibility standard, Braille labeling, allergen marking, user testing, packaging lifecycle.