For subscribers

Why are letters on product labels, menus so tiny? It’s time Singapore businesses embraced our seniors

Singapore’s seniors bring a lot of spending power to the table but businesses should be alive to their needs.

Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox

ST20230911_202370760528/sffp11/Shintaro Tay/Chin Soo Fang/
Magnifying glass and a button to call for assistance at the FairPrice outlet at Enabling Village in Lengkok Bahru on Sep 11, 2023.
ST Exclusive - The FairPrice outlet at Enabling Village in Lengkok Bahru will close its doors in Oct. Launched on Dec 2 in 2015, this was FairPrice’s first “Enabled Store” designed to meet the needs of Singapore’s rapidly ageing population and support persons with disabilities to live actively and independently. It has special features like wheelchair friendly trolleys and magnifying glasses. Customers ST spoke to did not know about the impending closure but were not surprised given the low footfall.

Some FairPrice supermarket outlets with higher senior footfall are designed with accessibility features like call buttons and magnifying glasses along aisles.

ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY

Follow topic:

There was prolonged silence when everyone was studying the menu at the cafe.

Finally, my friend P made a confession: “I cannot see the small words at all. You mean you can?”

See more on