Yahoo Finance Sobeys to offer sensory-friendly shopping hours
Grocery chain Sobeys Inc. is scheduling sensory-friendly shopping hours at its Nova Scotia locations.
Stores in the region will dim lighting, eliminate scanner beeps, stop cart collection, and lower noise to make shopping more comfortable for individuals with autism, hearing difficulties, PTSD, concussions and other conditions involving light and noise sensitivity.
Sobeys said it will silence all PA systems, phones, and music, encourage staff to speak softly, hang visual aids near popular items like bread, milk and eggs, and position a manager at the front of the store to assist guests.
The sensory-friendly shopping hours will be held bi-weekly in Nova Scotia stores between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. starting on Feb. 24, according to a post on the Sobeys Cole Harbour Facebook page.
Jacquelin Weatherbee, Sobeys’ director of external communications, told Yahoo Finance Canada that 42 stores are set to participate. It is unclear if or when the initiative will be expanded beyond Nova Scotia.
Sobeys joins a growing number of businesses catering to customers with autism and conditions impacted by the bright lights, background music and noise that are often commonplace in brick-and-mortar retail.
The grocery chain has partnered with Autism Nova Scotia. The initiative follows a successful sensory-friendly pilot project in two Prince Edward Island stores last year.
“Not only will this make grocery shopping more accessible for individuals on the Autism Spectrum, it will benefit all people with sensory challenges,” Cynthia Carroll, executive director at Autism Nova Scotia, wrote in a news release.
“We know for many, this initiative will have a dramatic impact on their quality of life, and we are grateful that Sobeys is implementing this across Nova Scotia.”
Lori Rhyno, director of Sobeys store operations in Northern Nova Scotia, has a child with sensory challenges. She took a leadership role in the program.
“Grocery shopping as a family can be particularly difficult for us, and I understand firsthand how many Sobeys customers may benefit from our sensory-friendly shopping hour,” Rhyno wrote in the news release. “It warms my heart to know that my child is growing up in a world where friends and classmates better understand special needs and advocate for inclusion.”
Sobeys, a division of Nova Scotia-based Empire Co. Ltd. (EMP-A.TO), operates approximately 1,500 stores in 10 provinces under retail banners including Sobeys, Safeway, IGA, Foodland, FreshCo, Thrifty Foods and Lawtons Drugs.
Sobeys has a total of 451 corporate and franchise-operated stores in its Atlantic Canada region, according to the company’s website.
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