How to make your packaging circular - DS Smith

PACE - DS Smith

Driving Circular Economy with Innovative Thinking - DS Smith

Results and Presentations - DS Smith

Services - DS Smith

Our Purpose - DS Smith

A Leading Provider of Sustainable Packaging Solutions - DS Smith

Where we Operate Across the World - DS Smith

Industries - DS Smith

Understanding Supply Chain Challenges - DS Smith - DS Smith

People using screen readers are not able to see the layout of a form. To make forms
accessible, they must define explicit text labels for each form control. 

Usually the best solution is to use a `<label>` element. The label may be linked to 
by the form control:

```html
<label for="name">Full name</label>
<input type="name" id="name">
```

or the `<label>` can be wrapped around the form control:

```html
<label>
    Full name <input type="name">
</label>
```

Buttons are different, as their labels are specified by the code for the button, e.g.

```html
<input type="submit" value="Send message">
<button>Send message</button>
```

Alternatively ARIA attributes, such as `aria-label` may be used, but this information
will not be conveyed to visual users. For more information, see [W3C's guide to labeling controls](https://www.w3.org/WAI/tutorials/forms/labels/).

Hidden input fields (`<input type="hidden">`) do not require labels.
Note that the `placeholder` attribute 
[should not be used as an alternative to a label](https://www.w3.org/TR/html/sec-forms.html#the-placeholder-attribute),
nor should the `title` attribute.

## Custom roles

Note that this check considers the underlying accessible role of an element, which can be 
different from the tag itself.

For example, this `<div>` has a `role` of `button`, and so is expected to have a label, like
a button would.

```html
<div role="button"></div>
```

form-control-labels

January 2026

December 2025

DS Smith

Title / URL	Issues
How to make your packaging circular - DS Smithwww.dssmith.com/sustainability/how-to-make-your-packaging-circular	1
PACE - DS Smithwww.dssmith.com/products-services/packaging-solutions/services/pace	1
Driving Circular Economy with Innovative Thinking - DS Smithwww.dssmith.com/company/our-innovation	1
Results and Presentations - DS Smithwww.dssmith.com/investors/results-and-presentations	1
Services - DS Smithwww.dssmith.com/products-services/packaging-solutions/services	1
Our Purpose - DS Smithwww.dssmith.com/company/who-we-are	1
A Leading Provider of Sustainable Packaging Solutions - DS Smithwww.dssmith.com/company	1
Where we Operate Across the World - DS Smithwww.dssmith.com/company/locations	1
Industries - DS Smithwww.dssmith.com/products-services/packaging-solutions/industries	1
Understanding Supply Chain Challenges - DS Smith - DS Smithwww.dssmith.com/company/our-innovation/supply-chain-challenges	1

Ensure form controls have labels

DS Smith

Where this issue has occurred