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Walmart is extending a program that is aimed at making its stores a less chaotic environment, which should be a welcome change for people with sensory disabilities, including autism and ADHD.
The retailer has announced that beginning Nov. 10, all stores will offer sensory-friendly hours from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. local time, every day of the week. That’s going to mean no in-store radio, lower light settings where possible, and the stores’ TV wall changed to a static image.
The company originally offered the more peaceful shopping period during a couple of hours on Saturdays during back-to-school shopping.
“Earlier this year, we took a step in making shopping in our stores more inclusive for those with sensory disabilities by taking measures to create a less stimulating environment for a couple hours each Saturday. The feedback of the pilot program was overwhelmingly positive,” the company said in a blog post. “These changes may have seemed small to some, but for others they transformed the shopping experience.”
That could make the holiday season a bit less stressful for some shoppers and parents, as well as employees with sensory disabilities.
It’s a continuation of sorts of pandemic-era changes to the shopping experience at Walmart and many other retailers, which set aside hours each morning for seniors and vulnerable shoppers. The move could also help the company’s bottom line, since morning hours tend to be less busy for retailers, and this could draw in more shoppers for longer periods.
The sensory-friendly hours will be offered in all U.S. and Puerto Rico stores, the company said. There is no end date for the change.
“During these hours, we hope our customers and associates will find the stores to be a little easier on the eyes and ears,” the company wrote.
