Aldi to make huge change to UK stores as it trials sensory-friendly shopping hours - what will change

Aldi is making changes the for a couple of hours each week to make stores more inclusive for all customers

Aldi is making a huge change to selected stores in order to make them sensory-friendly and more accessible to all shoppers. From next week, some Aldi stores will roll out the changes to make shops more inclusive by stopping tannoy announcements and making till scan sounds quieter for a couple of hours each week.

Almost 100 Aldi stores across Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire and Yorkshire will offer a quieter shopping experience every Tuesday from 6pm to 8.30pm until October.If successful, the initiative will be rolled out to all of Aldi’s UK stores going forwards.

Vicky Metcalf, diversity and inclusion director at Aldi UK, said: “Our new sensory-friendly shopping hours aim to help those who prefer a quieter shopping experience or struggle with noisy environments.

“We are committed to ensuring we are as accessible and inclusive as possible – both for shoppers and colleagues – and we look forward to receiving customer feedback on this trial to help inform our approach on a national level.”

Britain’s fourth-largest supermarket also recognises the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower to help support customers and colleagues with non-visible disabilities. Colleagues at Aldi have also undergone training around hidden disabilities and the Sunflower symbol, so they can offer additional assistance to those who may require it.