MasVision – Leading the way for people with Vision Impairment in Supermarkets, Masoutis opens its doors to Accessibility in Attica
In a move that marks a significant step towards social inclusion, ‘Diamantis Masoutis’ a well known intensive retail chain in Greece, is inaugurating its first store in Attica, specifically designed to serve individuals with visual impairment. The store, located at 202 Dimosthenous Street in Kallithea, opened its doors on Tuesday, March 18, 2025, at 11:30 AM.
Innovation and Accessibility at the forefront
The store features an audiovisual map located at the reception, utilizing Braille, and provides a comprehensive auditory layout of the store through a voice-enabled reading pen. Accessibility enhancements include a tactile floor guidance system, tactile price labels on all shelf products, and a mobile application for barcode scanning, enabling consumers to audibly identify products, promotional offers, and final prices. The mobile app is the result of our innovative MasVision project, an initiative aimed at enhancing the autonomy of individuals facing various degrees of vision loss.
The first step in navigating the store’s products, is when the customers identify in which corridor a product is, by using the audiovisual map in the reception. Then using the tactile floor guidance system, they can reach the corridor and the shelves where the product they are interested in is located. By hand they can find a tactile label at the edge of the shelf, denoting that they are located in front of a product. Then our mobile application is used, scanning the barcode that is next to the tactile label and provides audible product information to the customer. By swiping to the right or left, they can move between products in the specific corridor they are in. This enables easy and quick navigation between products inside the corridor, eliminating the need for assistance.
A disruptive mobile application
The MasVision mobile application is designed to ensure seamless interaction for individuals with visual impairments, relying on simple gesture-based navigation paired with audible voice feedback.
How does navigating the app works?
Selecting Items
To move between selectable elements on the current screen, a user can swipe left to move to the previous item or right to move to the next item.
Activating Selection
A double tap gesture executes the function associated with the currently selected item.
Value Adjustment
When an adjustable component is selected (e.g., store selection or voice speed settings), a swipe up gesture increases the value, and a swipe down decreases it.
Back Navigation
To return to the previous screen or state, a two finger simultaneously slide to the right can be performed.
Crucially, every gesture performed by the user is accompanied by immediate voice feedback. This auditory confirmation provides real-time updates on the user’s navigation and actions, ensuring a clear understanding of the application’s state.
A Model for the Future
The store is the second of its kind, following the inaugural MasVision store opened two years prior in Thessaloniki. This initiative stems from a collaborative effort between the Centre for Research & Technology Hellas (CERTH), Tandem, and the Thessaloniki branch of the Centre for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind (KEAT). The Kallithea store’s proximity to KEAT underscores its commitment to serving the visually impaired community.
Theodoros Gerostergioudis, General Manager of Diamantis Masoutis S.A., emphasized the store’s role in significantly enhancing the shopping experience for individuals with visual impairments. Former Member of the European Parliament, Stelios Kympouropoulos, highlighted the importance of recognizing disability as an identity and acknowledged masVision’s contribution to fostering social inclusion. Local government representatives also commended the company’s self-funded investment, acknowledging the positive impact of private sector initiatives in promoting inclusivity.
‘Diamantis Masoutis’, in collaboration with Thanasis Sideris of the Accessibility Support Academy, prioritized comprehensive understanding of building accessibility for visually impaired individuals. The company has generously offered its developed masVision store expertise to schools for the blind, facilitating potential adoption by other interested suppliers.
Where to find the MasVision app
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gr/app/masvision/id1634819625?l=el
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=gr.masoutis.masvision&pcampaignid=web_share
