Quiet Hour at Gunnedah Coles starts

The low-sensory session will be held with reduced lighting; no radio or PA announcements; scanners and registers on their lowest volume setting; no trolley collections; and extra team members on hand.

Overall, Quiet Hour will be in 173 more stores nationwide after trials and a smaller roll-out, including at Inverell from November 2017.

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It aims to make it easier for customers who find it challenging to shop in a heightened sensory environment, such as those on the autism spectrum.

Coles state general manager Reagan Lauder said the bigger roll-out was based on “overwhelmingly positive customer feedback”.

“[We] have worked hard to make our stores more welcoming and responsive to the needs of the local communities in which we operate,” she said.

Coles partnered with Autism Spectrum Australia (Aspect) to trial the concept in August 2017.