Fans of Greggs are amazed by this feature on all of its baked goods – have you noticed it?
Ahh, Greggs. The bakery chain that’s always there for you when you’re at a loose end on a lunch break. Who hasn’t been tempted to indulge in its range of delicious baked goods now and then?
Well, besides offering a tasty selection of pasties, slices and sausage rolls, Greggs also appears to be something of an accessibility pioneer. And it’s all thanks to the patterns that are etched into its pastry products.
This remarkable discovery was made by X (formerly known as Twitter) user Harri AKA @WonderpusGospel after she studied the information printed on a Greggs paper bag.
Here’s a fun fact – technically Greggs make accessible pasties & sausage rolles
Each one has a different pattern baked into the top that means you can tell what’s inside by touch, as well as just by looking.
There’s also a handy guide printed onto the paper bags! pic.twitter.com/QjUXHzmaC5
— Harri Nothing Without Us (@WonderpusGospel) July 10, 2024
Harri, who is an accessibility lead at Limit Break Mentorship, was impressed by how each pastry could be determined by the feel of its pattern alone.
It’s a fascinating detail, and one that impressed fellow Greggs customers.
1. We’ve learned something new today…@GreggsOfficial did you know your pastries are actually accessible? https://t.co/641g6cuIKr
— RNIB (@RNIB) July 11, 2024
2. If greggs can make their pasties accessible there’s no excuses for anyone else really is there https://t.co/vzFNSpopvp
— Angharad (@AngieBeatDown) July 11, 2024
3. I’d never thought of this as an accessibility thing I lean on.. but as a veggie since aged 4, I have 100% internalized those markings as ‘safe’, and it’s saved me from a number of (and I know this sounds ridiculous to folks with wider diets) really unpleasant first bites. https://t.co/fVfW3zjJ7Y
— Mike Bithell (@mikeBithell) July 11, 2024
4. This is what developers mean when they say “accessibility should be baked in” https://t.co/9J8LUurI7M
— It’s Topher Winward! ✌️ (@Winwardo) July 11, 2024
5. What the fuck lol how have I only just learned about this. Inclusive pasties. https://t.co/7IApCVu67X
— Carys (@blindandb0ujee) July 11, 2024
6. As a vegetarian I appreciate this as it means I know I’ve not accidentally been given the wrong kind of pastie/sausage roll, so I don’t have to nibble the corner and check it’s the right kind
— Tess (@pompeytess) July 11, 2024
7. one of the most interesting cool little facts I’ve seen posted on here in ages, ty
— Chris Boyd (looking for work!) (@paperghost) July 11, 2024
8. I knew for a long time the patterns existed (and correctly surmised why; I’ve set up systems similar in purpose, though different in the execution, myself), but never saw this handy little observer’s field guide before!
— Julie ️ Montoya ️ (@JulieMontoya20) July 11, 2024
9. This is something I noticed too, and I actually really appreciate it even as someone without vision difficulties – being able to tell at a glance what each one is is super helpful. Accessibility helps everyone, if it’s done well!
— Charlie Hamish (@CharlieHam82302) July 11, 2024
10. And as always, accessibility ends up being useful for everyone! Gone and grabbed a load stuff for the office, but can’t remember what bag has what? Greggs has you covered.
— Kris Lipscombe ️ (@halbpro) July 11, 2024
11. I wrote a blog post about the Steak Bake as a standout act of genius and have just added this picture of this bag to it. A masterclass of copy writing. A masterclass.
— Calder People (@Calderpeople) July 11, 2024
Of course, with the internet being the internet, it wasn’t long until people started to question whether or not this was a deliberate move towards accessibility by Greggs. Thankful, with her knowledge of the topic, Harri was on hand to clear things up.
To clarify – this is an example of unintended accessibility.
The patterns are designed for staff to differentiate between products, but it means physically you can trace the patterns with your fingers, or if able, view the pattern to tell what product is what.
— Harri Nothing Without Us (@WonderpusGospel) July 11, 2024
