Aug 7, 2023, Gillett News: Aldi Trials Quieter Shopping Hours in 100 Stores https://gillettnews.com/business/aldi-trials-quieter-shopping-hours-in-100-stores/41830/
Budget supermarket chain Aldi is currently trialling quieter shopping hours in around 100 of its stores. The initiative aims to provide a more sensory-friendly experience for customers, particularly those with autism, anxiety, or a preference for a quieter shopping trip. The changes include the cessation of tannoy announcements, quieter till scan sounds, and clear signposting of the dedicated quieter times to all shoppers.
The trial is taking place on Tuesdays between 6pm and 8.30pm in Aldi stores across Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire, and Yorkshire. It will run until the end of October, and if successful, may be expanded nationwide.
Aldi’s Diversity and Inclusion Director, Vicky Metcalf, explains that the purpose of the initiative is to make the shopping experience more accessible and inclusive for all customers and staff.
The supermarket is keen to gather feedback from customers during the trial period to help shape their approach on a national scale.
Although Aldi is the latest supermarket to introduce quieter hours, other retailers have already implemented similar measures. Tesco introduced quiet hours in 2017, taking place on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 9am to 10am. Asda offers quiet hours between 2pm and 3pm on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Morrisons has quiet hours every Sunday from 9am to 10am, and Lidl has designated “Autism Aware” quiet evenings on Tuesdays from 6pm to 8pm. Furthermore, Currys keeps noise levels low and ambient lighting until 11am from Monday to Friday.
In addition to these quieter shopping hours, customers can also use Google Shopping to check how busy a store is in real-time. By searching for the desired shop and clicking on its location, users can access extra data. Blue indicates the average number of shoppers, while pink indicates the number of people currently in the store.
The implementation of “quiet hours” in supermarkets acknowledges the diverse needs of customers and strives to create a more inclusive environment for everyone.
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