Penneys rolls out measures to make shopping more autism-friendly

Penneys teams up with AsIAm to introduce autism-friendly shopping across Irish stores

For anyone who has issues with noise and lights, or anyone with autism, shopping can be overwhelming. Between crowds, bright lights, the sound of tills, or loud music, it isn’t always an easy space to be in. Penneys have partnered with AsIAm to create measures to make shopping in their 36 Irish stores more inclusive.

Every Sunday, starting from 14 November, autistic people and those close to them can visit Penneys stores during the Sensory Friendly Shopping Hour. This is the first hour of store opening, with measures in place to create a calmer atmosphere.

These measures include noise reduction across the store. This means silencing tills and in-store announcements and turning off music. Plus, additional assistance and support will be available from staff trained by AsIAm. This training will be delivered through a custom-built Autism Awareness e-learning module, which will be hosted on Penneys’ digital learning platform.

Outside of the sensory hour, customers can visit their store page and through visual and audio aids, prepare themselves for the sights and sounds they may experience.  This also includes a visual guide called My Trip to Penneys. Customers will also be able to easily access these online supports through QR codes placed in-store.

These new measures are a positive move towards a more inclusive shopping experience. Everyone’s needs are different, and by making these changes, Penneys ensures many of their shopper’s different needs are met.