Major supermarket makes big change to rules for afternoon shoppers across all 500 stores

A SUPERMARKET giant has made a major change to its rules for shoppers across all 500 stores.

The chain will now have special rules in place for those who want to shop at certain times from Monday to Thursday.

Morrisons is extending its quiet hours to include 2pm to 3pm every Monday to Thursday. 

Previously this time only existed on between 9am and 10am on Saturdays, and for the first hour of opening on Sundays.

Quiet hours was a concept introduced in 2018 to accommodate people who might struggle with loud noises, for example someone with Autism.

Daniel Cadey of the National Autistic Society said: "Around 700,000 people are on the autism spectrum in the UK.

"This means they see, hear and feel the world differently to other people, often in a more intense way.

"Morrisons Quieter Hour is a step in the right direction for autistic people who find supermarket shopping a real struggle."

WHAT HAPPENS?

The designated time slot involves dimming the lights, turning the music and radio off and silencing tannoy announcements.

Checkout beeps and other electrical noises will also be turned down and shoppers will be encouraged to try to be as quiet as possible when pushing their trolleys.

A poster outside the supermarket alerts customers to the fact it’s quiet hour.

Business sponsor of ability at Morrisons Charlotte Exell said: “The weekly shop can be a daunting task for those who may struggle with noises associated with it, from the crashing of trollies to loud voices and music

"At Morrisons, we are always looking for more ways to support customers, the Quieter Hour is incredibly popular in our stores across the nation so we have listened to customers and will now help more shoppers in our extended times.”

It comes as Electrical retailer Currys has introduced a "quiet hour" for shoppers who are sensitive to noise and busy times.