Ireland · Packaging · Beverages

The morning brew — now audible for shoppers who can't read the box — Lyons Gold Blend × NaviLens.

Lyons prints a NaviLens code on the front of Gold Blend, one of Ireland's best-selling tea blends. Blind and partially sighted shoppers scan from a distance and hear brand, blend, number of bags, brewing guide and sustainability claims — no focusing required.

Lyons Gold Blend 40 biodegradable tea bags box with NaviLens code for blind shoppers.

#1: Best-selling tea brand in Ireland
40 / 80 / 160: Biodegradable bags per format
40: Languages the code reads out
€0: Extra production cost for the printed code

Lyons Tea (Ekaterra · Unilever)

Lyons is the best-selling tea brand in Ireland. Founded in Dublin in 1902, its Original and Gold Blend mixes are part of daily life in Irish households. It is now part of Ekaterra, the tea business divested by Unilever.

Gold Blend is the brand's premium blend: a darker, fuller cup in biodegradable, plastic-free bags, available in Tesco, Dunnes Stores, SuperValu and Centra.

01
Original vs. Gold on shelf
Lyons Original and Gold Blend share the same visual architecture: same brand, same green, same gold/red lockup. It's very hard for a partially sighted shopper to pick the right one without asking for help.
02
Biodegradable bags, invisible message
Switching to biodegradable, plastic-free bags is a key product story — but it sits in small seals and claims that can't be read without vision.
03
Brewing and usage info
Number of bags, brewing time, storage after opening, allergens in shared kitchens — all concentrated on the back of pack and out of reach for a blind consumer.

Lyons prints the NaviLens code right on the front of Gold Blend, with no added production cost. The free NaviLens and NaviLens GO apps detect it up to 12× further than a QR, at 160° and in 1/30 of a second — one sweep along the shelf and the box 'speaks'.

Once scanned, the app reads aloud the brand (Lyons), blend (Gold Blend), pack size (40, 80 or 160), biodegradable claim, brewing instructions, allergens and responsible-sourcing certifications. All of it in up to 42 languages, at the reading speed the user sets.

“Lyons Gold Blend is a special blend crafted to deliver a darker, fuller cup. Its tea bags are biodegradable and sold in family packs of 40, 80 and 160 in supermarkets across Ireland and the UK.”

Tesco Ireland · ficha de producto Lyons Gold Blend · Tesco Ireland product page
Tesco Ireland ↗

1902
Lyons Tea founded in Dublin
J. Lyons & Co. opens on Dame Street in Dublin and starts blending teas designed for Irish water. The brand becomes part of the country's domestic culture.
2020–2021
Biodegradable, plastic-free bags
Lyons switches to biodegradable, polypropylene-free tea bags across the full range (Original, Gold Blend, Decaf).
Today
Accessible packaging with NaviLens
Gold Blend adds a NaviLens code on the front so blind and partially sighted shoppers can access brand, blend, pack size, instructions and sustainability info by audio from the shelf.