Leading sight loss charity the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) has worked with M&S to create the retailer’s first ever accessible Christmas Food magazine.
The two organisations started their collaboration after M&S read about RNIB’s work to create the first accessible edition of Vogue magazine. The retailer then reached out to RNIB to see if the accessible outputs could be created for their Christmas Food magazine.
From there, RNIB’s specialist content and production teams produced braille versions of the magazine, as well as making the content available online in audio format.
In order to make the magazine fully accessible, all pictures included in the publication have image descriptions that will allow blind and partially sighted people to get equal access to the same materials as their sighted peers.
Rob Grant, Commercial Operations Manager at RNIB, said: “It’s a huge step by M&S to have created its Christmas Food magazine in audio and braille formats. This will make a massive difference to shoppers who have sight loss, allowing them to have the same independence when Christmas shopping as their sighted friends and family.
“We’re delighted to have worked with M&S and hope its efforts in keeping accessibility in mind set a precedent for other retailers.”
Laura Davidson, Head of PR, Social Media & Publications at M&S, said: “We’re so proud to offer our customers the M&S Christmas Food magazine in braille and audio outputs for the very first-time. The Magazine is THE guide to Christmas, and thanks to our partnership with RNIB, its more accessible than ever meaning even more people can find out about our award winning, delicious Christmas ranges”.
M&S’ Christmas Food magazine is now available. Hard copy braille versions of the M&S Food magazine catalogue can be ordered from christmasfoodbrochures@marks-and-spencer.com. Audio versions of the magazine can be downloaded through https://asset1.cxnmarksandspencer.com/is/content/mands/MandS-Christmas-Magazine-2023.mp3.
