LONDON — Dim the lights. Silence the piped-in music. Turn down the checkout beeps. For an hour on Saturdays, a British supermarket chain is introducing a weekly “quieter hour” aimed at helping people with autism have a better shopping experience by easing sensory overload.
The move by the supermarket, Morrisons, which begins on Saturday and runs from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m., has been welcomed by the National Autistic Society, which says that even small changes can make a big difference in the lives of people with autism and their families.
“Around 700,000 people are on the autism spectrum in the U.K.,” Tom Purser, of the National Autistic Society, said in an email. “This means they see, hear and feel the world differently to other people, often in a more intense way, which can make shopping a real struggle.”
Autism is a lifelong developmental disability that affects how people communicate and relate to others and how they experience the world around them. More than 60 percent of people with autism avoid shops, and 79 percent say they feel socially isolated, according to figures published by the society.
The move by Morrisons is part of the National Autistic Society’s “Too Much Information” campaign: Last year, more than 5,000 retailers across Britain participated in “Autism Hour.” The society hopes to expand the initiative.
Morrisons, the fourth-largest supermarket chain in Britain, said in a statement on its website, “Listening to customers, we found that one in five had a friend or family member with autism and many liked the idea of being able to shop in more comfort at 9-10 a.m. on a Saturday.”
In the statement, Angela Gray, part of a community group that builds ties with the supermarket, is quoted as saying: “I was involved in the initial trial as my son is autistic, and we found that these changes made a real difference. The trial showed there is a need for a quieter shopping experience for some customers.”
Lisa Chudley, of Wandsworth in South London, received a diagnosis of autism for her son, Max, when he was 7. During a grocery run last summer, Max fell to the floor, covered his ears and started to shake uncontrollably.
Like many people with autism, Max, now 13, was struggling to cope with the bright lights, loud noises and crowds associated with shopping at a large supermarket on a weekend, she said in an interview.
“We just avoid the shops, especially at peak times,” said Ms. Chudley, who usually does her shopping online but made an exception that weekend because there were no available delivery slots.
“What can already be an overwhelming experience for your average person is 10 times as chaotic for Max, who feels things much more intensely than we do,” Ms. Chudley said. “Some shopping environments can be torture for autistic children.”
Shopping can be equally stressful for adults with autism. Billie Jade, a 21-year-old from Derbyshire, England, who blogs about her condition, says she tries to avoid big stores as much as possible.
“I will sometimes go to a supermarket to pick up ingredients for baking,” she wrote in a post. “I will make sure that before I enter the shop I have saved photos on my phone of exactly what I am looking for so that I can get in and out as fast as I can.”
“Squeezing through trolleys of people chatting noisily amongst a mixture of offensive smells is not a pleasant experience for me,” she added. “On top of this, I find the product placement confusing and often can’t locate what I need.”
Instead of approaching staff members for assistance, Ms. Jade said, she would often panic and leave the shop empty-handed.
Movie theaters in Britain have also introduced similar initiatives, hosting “autism-friendly screenings” by reducing stimulation and sound.
“These kinds of resources allow autistic people to participate and engage with the world instead of run away from it,” Ms. Chudley said. “It breaks them free from social isolation.”
Late last year, amid the crush and chaos of the holiday shopping season, a Target in Framingham, Mass., offered “sensory-friendly shopping hours,” according to local news reports. For three hours on a Sunday in December, the store cut off the music, dimmed some lights, minimized flashing electronic screens and created a quiet corner for customers.
In October, many large supermarket chains across Britain, such as Asda and Tesco, plan to take part in a week of “quieter hours.”
