Coles expands 'Quiet Hour' where music, scanner volume is turned down

Coles is extending its "Quiet Hour", the low-sensory shopping period in its supermarkets, to five days a week in an effort to increase accessibility for customers.

Shoppers will be able to experience Quiet Hour from 6pm to 7pm on Monday to Friday.

During the 60-minute slot, Coles Radio, register and scanner volumes will be turned down, while staff will only use the PA in emergency cases.

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Coles was the first major supermarket to introduce Quiet Hour in 2017, with select stores continuing to reduce their sound and lighting between 10.30am and 11.30am.

The supermarket giant said its new move, announced today will help more customers who find high-sensory environments challenging, including working parents.

Coles said Head of Diversity and Inclusion, Katie Wyatt, said the company wanted to ensure all its customers felt comfortable when shopping.

"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," she 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."

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Coles collaborated with not-for-profit autism organisation Amaze in 2021 to help it respond to the needs of autistic people and their families, including working together on the store environment.

"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." said Amaze CEO, Jim Mullan.

Coles said it has also adopted other measures to help sensory-challenged people, including accessibility improvements for a number of Own Brand products, digital upgrades to the Coles app.