For most people, bright lights and loud noises, while annoying, aren’t a big deal. However, for others they can be a reason to not go shopping.
To provide a more comfortable environment for those with sensory sensitivity, the Seafair Safeway in Richmond has implemented a sensory-friendly shopping hour on Thursdays from 4 to 5 p.m.
Winson Tam, assistant store manager at Seafair Safeway, said their parent company, Sobeys, wanted to bring awareness of sensory sensitivity to the community.
He told the Richmond News that the store has received positive feedback regarding their designated hours for those sensitive to lights and sounds.
“A few people who have sensory sensitivity have given me feedback … they find it a peaceful experience and a good inclusive environment,” said Tam.
To create an inclusive shopping environment, Tam explained, lights are turned off every four feet in the store to reduce lighting by 50 per cent, the PA system and music are turned off, telephones, some scanners and registers are muted, and machines in departments such as the deli and bakery are also turned off during the sensory-friendly hours.
Also, shopping carts are not collected during the time and are usually brought back to the store 30 minutes before sensory-friendly shopping starts.
“Seafair Safeway has been a community-engaged group. (That) is one of our core values and our staff is driven to support the grassroots initiative,” said Tam.
Many Sobeys stores in Canada, said Tam, work alongside local Autism groups; however, because Seafair Safeway only launched their hours in November of last year, their first goal is to raise awareness with plans to reach out to Autism BC in the future.
According to Autism Canada, one in 66 children is diagnosed with a sensory disability each year in Canada.
The initiative began when Sobeys, Safeway’s parent company, wanted to create a more inclusive environment for shoppers with sensory sensitivity. The first store on Prince Edward Island implemented sensory-friendly hours in the summer of 2018.
With positive feedback from the community, Sobeys announced a national commitment to implement sensory-friendly shopping hours across all its stores including Sobeys, Safeway, IGA, Thrifty Foods, Foodland and FreshCo.
“The grocery store is a central hub of the community. We pride ourselves on creating an inclusive environment that reflects our diverse customer base and the communities where we work,” said Heather DeBlois, director of diversity and inclusion at Sobeys, in a media release.
