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A customer shops at a Walmart store on May 18, 2023 in Chicago, Illinois.
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CNN
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Walmart announced Tuesday that it is making changes to provide a more calming shopping experience at all of its U.S. stores for at least a few hours each day.
Scheduled to take effect on November 10, the changes include setting the store’s TV wall to a static image, turning off the radio and lowering the store’s lighting. Walmart said that during pilot testing during the back-to-school shopping period, these initiatives were found to be particularly beneficial for neurodiverse individuals with sensory disabilities (both customers and employees).
“Earlier this year, we took a step toward allowing people with sensory disabilities to shop in our stores by taking steps to create a low-stimulation environment for a few hours every Saturday. Feedback has been overwhelmingly positive,” the retailer said in a blog post on Tuesday. “While these changes may have seemed small to some, they have transformed the shopping experience for others.”
Walmart is not alone in making these changes, joining a growing group of retailers and entertainment venues like movie theaters and restaurants that are becoming more aware of consumers’ diverse needs.
It’s also a smart business strategy, says Bart Flickinger, a retail expert and managing director of retail consulting firm Strategic Resource Group. During the pandemic, Walmart has set up special morning shopping hours for older and more vulnerable consumers.
“At a time when discounters are competing more aggressively for consumers’ dollars, Walmart is not only building relationships with its shoppers, but with these changes, it is encouraging more shoppers to shop,” Flickinger said. “This could lead to more people flocking to stores and continuing to shop for longer.”
The sensory-friendly hours will be in effect from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. local time, seven days a week, at all Walmart U.S. and Puerto Rico stores, and there is no scheduled end date, Walmart said.
Flickinger said morning hours are particularly advantageous for shoppers with special requirements because they are “not the busiest time of day for Walmart stores.”
“The busiest times tend to be after school, after work, or on Sunday nights between 3:30 and 6:30 p.m.,” he said.
The company told CNN that the changes will only be implemented at Walmart stores at this time and will not be rolled out to Sam’s Club warehouse stores.
Other retailers are also working to create more inclusive shopping experiences.
Walmart rival Target sells a high-end line of children’s home decor and furniture designed to be sensory-friendly.
In October, Victoria’s Secret announced for the first time that it would sell intimate apparel specifically designed to meet the needs of women with disabilities in all stores and online.
It said the garment has adaptive features such as magnetic closures and sensory-friendly fabrics. Victoria’s Secret’s move shows that mainstream brands and retailers, not just niche sellers, are catering to consumers with disabilities.