Supermarket dims lights and cuts music for weekly quiet hour

MORRISONS has introduced a “quieter hour” to help customers who struggle with the noise of shopping, it was announced yesterday.

The supermarket chain will dim lights, turn music off and reduce the volume of bleeping checkout machines in all stores between 9am and 10am every Saturday from this weekend.

Daniel Cadey, from the National Autistic Society, which helped develop the initiative, 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.”

Staff will also avoid making tannoy announcements and reduce the movement of trolleys and baskets during the hour.

The scheme has been rolled out to the supermarket’s 493 UK stores following successful trials in Lincoln, Woking and Gainsborough earlier this year.

Angela Gray, Morrisons Community Champion at Woking, said: “I was involved in the initial trial as my son is autistic and we found that these changes made a real difference.”

Birmingham mum Kelly Kemp said noisy supermarkets have made it almost impossible for her to shop with six-year-old daughter Freya, who has autism.

Kelly, 41, said: “I rarely take unless I have no other option.

“She can become overwhelmed by the sounds, lights and even the smells and tries to run away, which, in a busy supermarket, can be problematic.

“I think it’s great that Morrisons are considering the needs of all their customers, and it would definitely benefit me as I could take my daughter if I needed.

“I’d know that the chances of her becoming anxious would be reduced.” her,