Coles introduces "Quiet Hour" to help autistics

http://www.smh.com.au/business/cons...es-introduces-quiet-hour-20171120-gzpbzx.html

To help shoppers who find the heightened sensory environment of a supermarket - the constant music, beeping scanners, bright lights - to be challenging, a low-sensory shopping experience designed to be easy on the eyes and ears will be offered from Tuesday.

For an hour each week, Coles will dim store lighting by 50 per cent, switch the radio off and reduce volumes of their registers and scanners to the lowest level.

No trolley collections and roll cages will be removed from the shop floor throughout the hour, announcements will only be made in emergencies and additional staff will be available to support customers during the trial phase.

The national supermarket chain partnered with Autism Spectrum Australia (Aspect) in August to trial Quiet Hour at two Victorian stores to support customers who live with autism, or have family members who do.

Following a successful trial, Quiet Hour will be offered every Tuesday between 10.30am and 11.30am, at 68 supermarkets across Australia.


These include 20 stores in NSW, including Pyrmont, Brighton-Le-Sands, Epping and Castle Hill in Sydney.

Linzi Coyle, Aspect's community engagement and operations manager, said a simple trip to the shops can be difficult for many individuals and families.

"People on the autism spectrum often have difficulty processing sensory information and can find sounds, light, smell, touch and taste overwhelming," she said.

"Together with Coles, we're achieving a 'no-judgment' shopping space where people on the spectrum and their families can feel comfortable and welcome whilst grocery shopping."

Peter Sheean, Coles' accessibility sponsor, said the company wanted a good geographic spread of participating stores. "We were really pleased to receive a positive response from our customers and team members, who welcomed Quiet Hour and provided feedback on social media," he said.

Those affected by autism praised the initiatives. "This is absolutely amazing," one person wrote on Aspect's Facebook page.

"I know my son struggles going to the supermarket because of sensory overload so this would help make the stress of going to do the shopping alot [sic] less and more of a positive experience."

Coles panders to spergs now.
Also this has been trialled for months apparently.

 

[Positron]

The last chain that pull that shit was Toys 'R Us. Look how they are doing now.

 

[VoidMachine]

The last chain that pull that shit was Toys 'R Us. Look how they are doing now.

Or target pandering to troons who may as well be spergs. Pandering to small groups like this does not help business.

 

[AnOminous]

Why would you expect this to work? You're going to get a bunch of autists in the store and once that happens, it will be filled for hours with high pitched 100 decibel autistic screeching.

 

[ToroidalBoat]

Reminds me of stories about "autism friendly" screenings of Wreck-It Ralph about 5 years ago: the theater lights were on but dim, and the volume was reduced.

Things have changed since the days when autistics were encouraged to suck it up and adapt.

 

[VoidMachine]

Why would you expect this to work? You're going to get a bunch of autists in the store and once that happens, it will be filled for hours with high pitched 100 decibel autistic screeching.

And then you lose your normal customers which are the majority.

 

[Fleeb]

Nothing is appealing about the retail space. Get some spergs in there, maybe get a good laugh, no music, dim lights sounds like a dream. A store out of a David Lynch film

 

[Ruin]

Can someone explain to me why corporations waste huge amounts of time and money catering to people who have neither money nor jobs? What's the end game?

 

[RI 360]

Now I know when not to go.

 

[Fleeb]

Can someone explain to me why corporations waste huge amounts of time and money catering to people who have neither money nor jobs? What's the end game?

No money? How about that disability check.

Not to mention all those that self identify as autisms

 

[Hen in a tie]

Chuck E cheese does this on sundays which is nice. This is a great way to keep the people that self diagnose and take a shit ton of time at the cash registers away from me during my shopping experience.

 

[ForgedBlades]

Could you imagine having to work during this shitshow? Dozens of autists in the same place and you're expected to hold their hand for an hour?

I'd quit.

 

[Randy Lahey]

Could you imagine having to work during this shitshow? Dozens of autists in the same place and you're expected to hold their hand for an hour?

I'd quit.

I’d take my lunch break during autist hour

 

[Dirt McGirt]

Autists are notorious for their financial illiteracy. This might be a nice cash grab, but I'm not sure they have the right products that they would spend money on.

(I thought this was for the clothing store Kohl's not some no name Aussie supermarket. It makes even less sense)

 

[LegoTugboat]

Autists are notorious for their financial illiteracy. This might be a nice cash grab, but I'm not sure they have the right products that they would spend money on.

(I thought this was for the clothing store Kohl's not some no name Aussie supermarket. It makes even less sense)

Second largest supermarket chain in the country. It's not exactly no name.

 

[Dirt McGirt]

Second largest supermarket chain in the country. It's not exactly no name.

Maybe for Australia

 

[Morose_Obesity]

Chuck E cheese does this on sundays which is nice. This is a great way to keep the people that self diagnose and take a shit ton of time at the cash registers away from me during my shopping experience.

How in the hell do you have silent nigger fistfight chimpouts? Some kind of advanced Starfleet sound dampening technology?

 

[Dirt McGirt]

Chuck E cheese does this on sundays which is nice. This is a great way to keep the people that self diagnose and take a shit ton of time at the cash registers away from me during my shopping experience.

Those poor fucks working those shifts at the Chuck E Cheese deserve goddamn metals for all the shit they probably go through.

 

[melty]

Can someone explain to me why corporations waste huge amounts of time and money catering to people who have neither money nor jobs? What's the end game?

My best guess is, without any data to prove or disprove it someone who has undeservedly gotten high up in management at a company thinks "hey, wouldn't it be a good idea if..." maybe some Harvard MBA whose a department head had an autistic kid or something. When it goes wrong, nobody wants to admit it was a bad idea.

 

[Dysnomia]

Why would you expect this to work? You're going to get a bunch of autists in the store and once that happens, it will be filled for hours with high pitched 100 decibel autistic screeching.

At least normal people now know when to stay home to avoid the autistic screeching and children bolting into displays of canned goods cartoon style. Although it sucks if that hour is the only time you can get out to shop.