Coles supermarket has confirmed a major change to all stores nationally, affecting customers who shop between 6pm and 7pm on weekdays.
The retail giant has expanded its low-sensory shopping experience – known as Quiet Hour – to five days a week, at a time that better suits many customers and working parents.
Coles shoppers will now experience Quiet Hour experience from 6:00pm to 7:00pm, Monday to Friday, ensuring customer who find high sensory environments challenging are offered more convenient and accessible time in the evening to visit stores.
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During this time, Coles Radio will be turned down to the lowest volume, register and scanner volumes will be reduced and team members will refrain from using the PA system, except in the case of emergencies.
Selected stores around the country will continue offer an additional Quiet Hour on Tuesday between 10.30am and 11.30am.
Coles Head of Diversity and Inclusion Katie Wyatt said the supermarket is expanding its popular Quiet Hour to support the one in 70 Australians who are on the autism spectrum.
“At Coles, we are always looking for new ways to serve our customers with disabilities and their carers, and we are privileged to have many active voices of people with disability in our feedback channels,” Katie said.
“Up to 70 per cent of autistic people experience sensitivity to sounds, with autistic adults reporting that these symptoms worsen with stress and anxiety therefore, Quiet Hour promotes increased opportunity and enhances the shopping experience for thousands of customers.”
Coles was the first major supermarket to introduce Quiet Hour in 2017.
The retailer has also invested in a number of Own Brand products that have seen accessibility improvements, made digital upgrades to the Coles app and has proudly increased representation in the workforce, with 7.6 per cent of team members identifying as having a disability.
Coles also joined forces with Amaze, a not-for-profit autism organisation, in 2021, working together to build the capability of its business, employees and store environments to meet the needs of people with autism and their families.
“We have been delighted to see our partnership with Coles grow in strength and success since 2021, and much of that is a testament to their commitment to building an environment and a workforce that is representative of the community they serve, including autistic people,” Amaze CEO Jim Mullan said.
“The expansion of their low-sensory shopping experience is just another example of the many steps that they have taken over the years to understand and purposefully meet the needs of not only their Autistic customers but also their autistic employees.
“Amaze’s vision is an autism inclusive Australia and we’re proud to have partners like Coles who share that same aspiration.”