ASDA is the latest supermarket to announce a change to shopping hours affecting customers.
Shoppers who need a quieter time to shop will now find a special time dedicated to their needs.
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Early afternoon hours between 2pm and 3pm will now be “quiet hours” at all of its 630 stores.
Asda‘s quiet hours will run on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, the supermarket has revealed.
It means that noises will be reduced, so there will be no in-store music and other sounds will be kept to a minimum.
The move is designed to help people with disabilities like autism and anxiety.
Asda chief supply chain officer and executive sponsor for disability Mark Simpson said: “There are an estimated 14.1million people with a disability living in the UK, and 80% of disabilities are hidden.
“We hope that by introducing quieter times for customers to shop we will be able to make our stores more welcoming and inclusive for customers with additional needs.”
Asda previously ran “inclusive” shopping hours on Tuesday in some stores between 10am and 11am.
The supermarket said it has also helped its 85,000 staff better help disabled customers through extra training.
its store locator tool will also be updated to show what services there are to help those with extra needs, such as changing places bathroom facilities, braille guns and hearing loops.
Asda follows Tesco which last week announced that it has made quiet hours a permanent fixture at all its stores.
Tesco’s quiet hours will be on Wednesday and Saturday from 9am to 10am.
Morrisons introduced quiet hours to all its stores on Sundays between 9am and 10am in October last year after a similar trial.
The supermarket turns off music and makes no announcements in stores during this time and even stops checkouts from beeping.
Lidl has “Autism Aware” quiet evenings on Tuesday from 6pm until 8pm.
Shoppers are raving about George at Asda’s new winter line of luxe coats, cosy loungewear and on-trend denim and prices start at just £8
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