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‘Quiet hour’ shopping promotes inclusiveness for people with autism
The Coles supermarket chain has collaborated with Autism Spectrum Australia (Aspect) in the roll out of its ‘Quiet hour’ initiative, helping to create a welcoming shopping space for people on the autism spectrum.
Coles partnered with Autism Spectrum Australia in developing its 'Quiet hour' shopping.
Quiet hour is designed to make shopping more accessible for people on the autism spectrum, many of whom experience a phenomenon known as ‘sensory defensiveness’.
‘Sensory input, what you hear and see and feel, can be quite overwhelming in some individuals on the autism spectrum,’ Dr James Best, a GP with a special interest in the disorder, told newsGP.
Quiet hour takes place at 68 selected stores across Australia every Tuesday between 10.30–11.30 am. The initiative adopts measures such as avoiding announcements over the PA system, dimming the store’s lights by 50%, and reducing the radio, registers and scanners to their lowest volume. Aspect has also provided Coles staff members with some training to help them understand sensory defensiveness.
‘I think it’s a terrific idea, because there are certainly some people on the autism spectrum who will be quite distressed by [usual supermarket noise] and it might present a barrier to them to go to the shops or to do their own shopping,’ Dr Best said.
Removing these types of barriers is key to the initiative, according to Linzi Coyle from Aspect Community Engagement and Operations.
‘We’re achieving a “no-judgement” shopping space where people on the spectrum and their families can feel comfortable and welcome whilst grocery shopping,’ she said.
Dr Best feels the idea of creating an open and welcoming space is the most valuable aspect of Quiet hour.
‘I think this is really sending out a message of inclusiveness,’ he said. ‘It’s sending a message that people are thinking of [autism] and making an effort, which I think is very positive.’
With autism affecting one in every 100 Australians, Dr Best also believes similar initiatives could be valuable in other settings, including general practice.
‘Having a certain time of day or a session where you’re saying to people, “We are going to make a time and effort to include you as being able to access our facilities”, is absolutely a good idea,’ he said.
autism-spectrum autism-spectrum-disorder quiet-hour
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