Sobeys Stores Offering ‘Sensory-Friendly’ Shopping Hours
HALIFAX– Nova Scotia locations of a major national grocery chain are making a move to be more inclusive for customers with sensory sensitivities.
It was announced this week that all Sobeys stores throughout Nova Scotia, in partnership with Autism Nova Scotia, will implement sensory-friendly shopping hours starting February 24th.
The sensory-friendly shopping hours will then be held bi-weekly after the 24th from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. on those days. During those times, stores will have reduced lighting, no P.A. or scanner sounds and lower department noise. The duty manager will also be on site at the front of the store for support. A flyer explaining the rules was posted on the Sobeys Cole Harbour Facebook page.
The purpose of the special hour is to make shopping more comfortable for people who are sensitive to things like bright lights and noise. This can include individuals with autism, hearing difficulties, PTSD, concussions, and many other conditions.
Christel Seeberger is the founder of Sensory Friendly Solutions, a New Brunswick-based company that helps businesses and organization become sensory friendly and is developing an app to help people find sensory-friendly places. She says seeing a large company like Sobeys taking such an initiative is a good thing.
“It’s phenomenal,” says Seeberger. “I really see Sobeys and being a leader here in Atlantic Canada taking this initiative,”
The Nova Scotia Sobeys stores are not the only ones in the region implementing sensory friendly shopping hours. The Sobeys in Oromocto, New Brunswick, recently started offering them on Tuesdays. Seeberger hopes these stores are doing will inspire other businesses to do the same.
“It’s really nice to see a large organization really representative of Atlantic Canada to take a really positive leadership role and demonstrate that this is something that can and should be done. Done with thought and planning but really making it happen,” she says. “It’s really phenomenal to see that type of leadership and I certainly hope that inspires other people to think about what they can do.”
Seeberger says she is already talking with many organizations in the provinces about starting their own sensory-friendly initiatives. She says what Sobey is doing is a good example of how easy it can be.
“I’m talking to lots of organizations who are interested in moving sensory-friendly quiet shopping hours and those types of initiatives forward,” she says. “It’s very helpful for me in explaining the idea and concept to be able to say, ‘Let’s look at what Sobeys has done.’ “