Australian supermarket chain Woolworths has expanded the availability of its Quiet Hour initiative to five days per week, aiming to create a shopping environment that addresses the needs of customers who experience sensory challenges.
The programme, which minimises auditory and visual stimuli, now operates from Monday to Friday for one hour in most of the chain's locations.
The concept of Quiet Hour was developed in collaboration with Life Without Barriers.
It was initially introduced in 2019 on a once-weekly basis to address community demand for a more serene shopping atmosphere.
The programme has since been implemented in more than 900 Woolworths stores across Australia, enhancing the shopping experience for those seeking a calmer environment and promoting customer autonomy.
During this one-hour period, several temporary adjustments are made within the stores: silencing buzzers on bakery ovens and chicken cookers, lowering volume levels on store phones and registers, clearing entryways, dimming lights, pausing in-store music, removing roll cages from the shop floor and suspending all PA announcements except for emergencies.
Woolworths stores director Jeanette Fenske said: “We continue to receive positive feedback from customers on the initiative, and our teams take great pride in ensuring the stores are quieter and less stressful for customers during this time.
"Quiet Hour is now an integral part of how we aim to assist independence in our stores, in addition to the opportunity provided by Direct to Boot and delivery options for many customers.
“The expansion of Quiet Hour to five days a week has been trialled over busy shopping periods such as Christmas, and we are proud to now be able to meet customer needs with this five days a week.”
For some, shopping is a way to take a break, but for others, it can be a stressful and anxiety-inducing activity. This is especially true for those who are neurodivergent, including individuals with autism, ADHD and other sensory-processing conditions.
According to the most recent prevalence estimates and Australian Bureau of Statistics census figures, around 675,000 people in Australia are on the autism spectrum.
Retailers such as Coles, Cotton On and Kmart, and shopping centres such as Westfield, have also implemented quiet shopping hours to accommodate these needs.
In November 2023, Coles extended its Quiet Hour to five days a week. It partnered with Autism Spectrum Australia to introduce the concept at its stores.
