Major Australian supermarket extends ‘Quiet Hour’ for its sensory-challenged customers

Nov 16, 2023

Coles has made a big move to extend Quiet Hour across its stores to five days a week to help customers.

Quiet Hour, the low-sensory shopping experience initiated by supermarket giant Coles, will now be rolled out weekdays between 6:00pm and 7:00pm to cater to a broader range of customers, including working parents.

The extension of the Quiet Hour joins other major supermarkets like Woolworths which has 260 stores across Australia with Quiet Hours as well as a number of IGA stores and Harris Farms.

During Coles Quiet Hour:

Store lighting will be reduced.
Coles Radio will be turned down.
Register and scanner volumes will be reduced to the lowest level.
No trolley collections.
Roll cages will be removed from the shop floor.
No PA announcements will be made except in the case of emergencies.
Additional team members will be available to support customers.

This move has been welcomed by Jasmine Parker and her daughter, Evie, 10.

“Our family is just like any other and we have the same need to do essential things like grocery shopping, so being able to do this in an environment that I know is more supportive of some autistic people’s needs is a huge relief. For my husband and I, just having the option to bring our daughter along with us to do our grocery shopping without the added worry of it being too overwhelming for her from a sensory perspective, or that it won’t cause her distress, is something we are really thankful for,” said Jasmine,

“Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case for many autistic people and their families, so it’s great to see Coles expanding the Quiet Hour initiative and being more inclusive of the autism community.”

Coles Quiet Hour interior source: Regional News Media

Coles introduced Quiet Hour in select stores in 2017 between 10:30am to 11:30am on Tuesdays, but this national Monday to Friday role out will provide a more convenient grocery shopping experience for individuals who find high-sensory environments challenging.

Coles Head of Diversity and Inclusion, Katie Wyatt said the company is always looking for new ways to serve customers with disabilities and their carers.

“Up to 70 per cent of autistic people experience sensitivity to sounds, with autistic adults reporting that these symptoms worsen with stress and anxiety therefore, Quiet Hour promotes increased opportunity and enhances the shopping experience for thousands of customers.”

Coles joined forces with Amaze, a not-for-profit autism organisation in 2021 to help meet the needs of autistic people and their families, including collaborating on the store environment.

Head to the Coles website to find your local Quiet Hour; coles.com.au

This story appeared originally on news.com.au and has been published here with permission.