RNIB response to online retailer Very's marketing email

Update 23 April 2019:

The CEO of Very has been in touch with us directly to apologise unreservedly for the email and offence it has caused. They are investigating how this happened. We welcome Very’s apology and will be meeting with them in the coming weeks to look at what they can do to help our efforts to break down the barriers to equal participation in society for blind and partially sighted people.

Sarah Lambert, Head of Social Change at RNIB, said:

“Online retailer Very.co.uk today sent out a marketing email with the subject “Unless you’re legally blind, put your eyes on this”.

“This is offensive to their blind and partially sighted customers and shows how prevalent outdated attitudes towards sight loss are in today’s society. Blind and partially sighted people have told RNIB that the biggest barrier to equal participation in society is negative attitudes and stereotypes. We are therefore working to educate society about the real lived experience of blind and partially sighted people, which is why we will be getting in touch with Very to invite them to meet members of our community to challenge their misconceptions of living with sight loss.”

Notes to editors

All media enquiries to RNIB’s PR team on [email protected] or 020 7391 2223. For urgent enquiries out-of-hours, please call 07968 482812.

About RNIB

We are the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB).

Every six minutes, someone in the UK begins to lose their sight. RNIB is taking a stand against exclusion, inequality and isolation to create a world without barriers where people with sight loss can lead full lives. A different world where society values blind and partially sighted people not for the disabilities they’ve overcome, but for the people they are.

RNIB. See differently.

Call the RNIB Helpline on 0303 123 9999 or visit www.rnib.org.uk

Image description

Screenshot of a Very marketing email with the subject line “Unless you’re legally blind, put your eyes on this”.