Aldi introduces sensory-friendly shopping hours at its Wakefield, Pontefract and Castleford stores

From now until October, stores across the district will offer a quieter times every Tuesday between 6pm and 8.30pm.

If successful, the initiative will be rolled out to all of Aldi’s UK stores, with changes including stopping tannoy announcements, quieter till scan sounds, and signposting the dedicated times to all customers.

The Wakefield district Aldi stores included in the trial are:

Enterprise Way, Castleford, WF10 1EQ

Park Road, Castleford, WF10 4RJ

Asdale Road, Sandal, WF2 7JE

South Baileygate, Pontefract, WF8 2LN

82 Batley Road, Wakefield, WF2 0AE

Wakefield Road, Featherstone, WF7 5LD

Unit 1 Snow Hill Way, Wakefield, WF1 2UZ

Barnsley Road, South Elmsall, WF9 2AA

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.