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Boots is the first UK retailer to provide an inclusive online shopping experience with Recite Me

17 February 2022
News Brand
  • Boots has partnered with Recite Me to add an accessibility toolbar option to boots.com, making online shopping more inclusive and customisable 

  • Boots is the first retailer in the UK to introduce this technology onto its main online store 

  • The tools can adapt the site to suit users individual needs, including multiple reading aids, text-to-speech and translation into over 100 languages  

Boots has launched a suite of digital accessibility and language tools on boots.com to help those customersthat struggle to shop online. More than 13 million people in the UK experience barriers when shopping online, and this new technology with allow those customers to create a customisable and inclusive shopping experience, making it easier for them to navigate around the website.  

Boots is the first retailer in the UK to offer the Recite Me technology on its online store, making it more accessible for the 37 million monthly visitors to boots.com. For customers who have visual impairment for example, the new tools can change the font size, isolate sentences and swap the colour of the page to make it easier for those customers to read.    

The Recite Me assistive toolbar also includes screen reading functionality, multiple reading aids, customisable styling options and an on-demand live translation feature that boasts over 100 languages including 35 texts-to-speech. These features give control to website visitors to manage how they view and interact with content to suit their individual needs.   

Paula Bobbett, Director of E-Commerce at Boots UK said: “We are delighted to be launching this market-first technology to boots.com, helping customers to customise the site to suit their own needs. The launch of the Recite Me accessibility tools help those customers who find it more challenging to shop online to browse, shop and manage their accounts hassle free.”  

To explore the accessibility support Boots now provides check out boots.com and click the Accessibility Toolbar option at the top of the homepage.  

 

Notes to editors 

About Boots UK 

Boots UK is the largest pharmacy-led health and beauty chain in the UK and its purpose is to champion everyone’s right to feel good. With over 2,200 stores and a team of around 51,000 colleagues, of which approximately 5,600 are registered pharmacists, the Boots brand has been at the heart of local communities across the UK since 1849. Boots UK is committed to providing exceptional customer and patient care and being the first choice for pharmacy, beauty, healthcare and wellness, alongside offering its innovative portfolio of product brands, including No7, the UK’s No1 skincare brand, Soap & Glory, Liz Earle, Sleek MakeUP and YourGoodSkin. 

Boots UK is part of Walgreens Boots Alliance (Nasdaq: WBA) – a global leader in retail pharmacy, impacting millions of lives every day through dispensing medicines, and providing accessible, high-quality care. More company information is available at www.boots-uk.com. 

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Boots is the UK’s leading health and beauty retailer with over 52,000 team members and 2,100 stores, ranging from local community pharmacies to large destination health and beauty stores.*

Boots serves its customers and patients for life as the leading provider of healthcare on the high street and the UK’s number one beauty destination. It offers an unrivalled depth and breadth of products, which incorporates its extensive own brand range and innovative portfolio of brands, including No7, the UK’s No1 skincare brand, Soap & Glory, Liz Earle Beauty and Sleek MakeUP.

2024 marks Boots’ 175th anniversary year. Founder John Boot opened a herbalist store in Nottingham in 1849 to offer an affordable alternative to traditional medicines. His son Jesse expanded the business to become a modern retailer and the biggest chemist in Britain. Throughout its history, Boots has listened, learned and innovated, and it continues to challenge itself to improve its products and services every day.

Boots is part of Walgreens Boots Alliance, which is a global leader in pharmacy-led, health and wellbeing retail.  More company information is available on boots-uk.com.

*Figures accurate as of 30 November 2023