User:Flossabelle/sandbox/Quiet Hour

Quiet Hour
'Quiet Hour is an initiative which was developed to allow people with autism to have a 'sensory-free shopping experience'. Quiet hour involves shopping where 'lights are dimmed, volumes on checkouts turned down, music turned off, shelf restocking paused and smells minimised where possible'.

History
Quiet Hour was developed by Simon Lea, the manager of the Cheetham Hill Asada Living Store in the United Kingdom. Lea described an experience of watching a young shopper struggling with the noises in the supermarket as the inspiration of the project.

The concept was pioneered in Australia by disability-services provider, Cara. Cara partnered with the Frewville Foodland, a member of the Adelaide Finest Supermarkets group to deliver a trial in July 2016, with the Quiet Hour taking place on Tuesdays between 6.30 and 7.30pm. In response to the initiative, the parents of a child with sensory processing disorder have praised the initiative, saying that it helps their daughter achieve a feeling of 'independence'.

Other supermarkets around the world have began to introduce 'Quiet Hour' following the success of the trials.