Two senior couples complained about how hard it was to open what looked like a prescription or vitamin bottle. Describing it as “childproof,” one of the women opened it while her friend quipped, “you mean adult-proof.” Heard at a hotel restaurant in New Orleans during a recent business trip, the all-too-frequent lament continues to upset consumers.

More quantitative evidence comes from a new survey and report about the consumer friendliness of packaging from Mona Doyle at The Consumer Network, Inc. Surveying 475 shoppers from across the United States, the research found that opening and reclosing challenges were the most frequently encountered problems.

“Getting tablets, capsules, and pills out of the package is a frequent problem for the very users who are most in need of quick and easy access,” says a press release about the report. The surging senior demographics demand that more attention be paid to this access problem.” Contact Doyle at 215/235-2400.

By Jim Butschli, Editor. HealthCare Packaging