Two Coles supermarket stores in Victoria are introducing a “low sensory shopping experience“ to be called Quiet Hour removing some of the biggest obstacles around shopping for people who live with autism.
The program will be kicking off at Coles Ringwood and Coles New St. The Balwyn East and will run between the hours of 10.30am-11.30am every Tuesday until the end of October.
The innovative began after a study investigating the shopping habits of individuals on the autism spectrum and their families found Tuesday morning was the most common shopping time. The biggest obstacles the encountered included bright lighting and the music, register beeps and queuing.
What happens during Quiet Hour?
The Supermarket chain is working with Autism Spectrum Australia who explain that during quiet hour:
Reduce Coles Radio to lowest volume
Dim the lights by 50%
Turn down register and scanner volumes to lowest level
Remove roll cages from shop floor
Avoid trolley collections
Avoid PA announcements *excluding emergencies
Offer free fruit at customer service
Have trained team members available to assist customers
For those who want to take part in the Coles Quiet Hour shopping experience, it’s as simple as downloading the free Coles app.
The app will also allow people to create shopping lists and use the product finder to locate products in store.
Anyone can take advantage of the Coles Quiet Hour, it is not limited to people on the autism spectrum.
For more information head to the Aspect website.
