Morrisons is extending its quiet hours scheme, an initiative to make shopping an easier environment for people with autism.
The supermarket chain made the announcement on April 5, which coincided with last week’s World Autism Acceptance Week, and the move has been welcomed by a charity.
Daniel Cadey, of the National Autistic Society, said: “Around 700,000 people are on the autism spectrum in the UK.
“This means they see, hear and feel the world differently to other people, often in a more intense way. Morrisons Quieter Hour is a step in the right direction for autistic people who find supermarket shopping a real struggle.”
Morrisons introduced the scheme in 2018 but is not alone in introducing the scheme, with Tesco and Asda also bringing it into shops.
But what is a quiet hour and where can you see it in action?
What is a quiet hour?
Within quiet hours, supermarkets make efforts to become less noisy and intimidating environments for shoppers with autism or additional needs.
Some can find the hustle and bustle of shops overwhelming.
Stores can help by turning music off, dimming the lights, not making tannoy announcements, and silencing the beep noise at checkouts.
Shoppers are encouraged to be quiet by signs or posters outside a supermarket, which will invite them to keep trolley movements respectful.
When do Tesco, Asda and Morrisons have their quiet hours?
Morrisons will now hold the initiative from 2pm to 3pm on Monday to Thursday, as well as its previous quiet hour between 9am to 10am on Saturdays. Additionally, Morrisons shops observe the quiet hour for the first 60 minutes of trade on a Sunday.
Asda also launched quieter hours in 2018 and they run between 2pm to 3pm on Mondays to Thursdays, according to Autism Unlimited.
Tesco has a quiet hour from 9am to 10am on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
