Supermarket "quiet" hours

[siniang]

I’ve recently read about it, I think in the Netherlands (?) they’ve started doing this specifically for folks with Autism, Epilepsy and other sensory disorders, but obviously a lot more people will benefit from this.

We don’t have it. I try to go as late as possible— Costco doesn’t have speaker announcements or music, so it’s really just to ditch the people. I really wish other stores (looking at you, Whole Foods) would implement a Quiet Hour, because they’re living hell basically any time

I absolutely love the idea

 

[blackemerald1]

Yeah they've been doing it at my local supermarket for about two years now.

It's great if I can plan myself well enough to get there when they do it.

The first time I discovered it I thought it was a power out, so quiet and low key. Virtually nobody there too. So absolutely love it! But it's at 1100 hrs on a Tuesday morning... so not really my time.

Instead? I go about half an hour before midnight/closing and it's great - the shelves are mostly re-stocked and there's virtually nobody but staff about. :)

 

[Upside Down Eagle]

:D

It gives you hope for humanity, doesn´t it?

Supermarkets here don´t do that but I´ve managed to cut the supermarket out of my life, mostly.
But I´d give them a standing ovation if they introduced the quiet hours here.

Ok I see that Siniang said that NL does have those supermarkets, that´s great! They´re probably near the capital though.

 

[DharmaGirl]

Now you can order online and go pick up groceries here. I don't like other people picking out my produce, though.

 

[Friday]

I live in a relatively dense urban area... so there are certain gimmicks different stores use... in the same vein?

- No music or announcements
- No artificial lighting
- No kids
- No cashiers / no lines (you scan each item with your phone, as you select it from the bin.
- Self Checkout (8-50 scanners and scales, you do your own cart, but there’s rarely a line)
- Delivery or Instore Pickup Only (you order online, or by phone)

Of course, there are ones that cater to the opposite, as well as have those -and the opposite- only for certain hours, and things like all dogs welcome, etc.

Personally I like the chaos of the ethnic markets (China town, little Ethiopia, the Latin markets) & the docks... or 1 hour delivery. But since I shop at 5-7 different stores, on average, to get the best prices? It’s something of a ‘spin the wheel’ of what’s do I feel like dealing with today?

 

[Anna59]

A supermarket chain in NZ, Countdown, has started doing a quiet hour where they turn down the store lights, and don't have any music/announcements over the speaker system for one hour every week.

I finally managed to make it in store for one, and omg I've never felt so calm in a supermarket before. I hope other chains will follow this.

Do any stores near you have this?

I hate going to the grocery store (or bank, or on the bus, or anywhere in public), because people are constantly walking by me, and brushing against me. They can’t feel it, but I can, and it makes me want to scream. I can’t stand it. I will do anything to avoid having people walk too close to me. It’s torture, but I don’t know how to avoid the situation. I have to get food, and do errands. They’re unavoidable. And there is no one to do them for me. Having said all that - my favourite time of day to go to the grocery store is late at night, where there are hardly any customers. It’s great, and no one walks too close to me.

 

[RVA21]

One of the big Tescos near me is open 24 hours, I went once with my ex, we were there about maybe 1030pm for an hour and it was SO quiet, I did love it but I was a bit too tired to do the shopping at that time of night. It was great to have the whole place almost to ourselves though!

 

[Mach123]

I was in the shower yesterday at a slow time and it still made me jumpy and uncomfortable. I thought about this thread. There is just way to much personal contact meaning they all are in the way and they get too close it makes me uncomfortable. I wanna say "friggin move" or something else nice like that, and I wanna flirt with the women, and I'm afraid to get stuck at self checkout, and have them have to help me. I got some wine for cooking and the "kid" had to see my ID lol! I'm 60! I'm still not used to having booze in supermarkets. I have to try and keep thinking like be nice, be calm, be friendly lol.

 

[Friday]

I was in the shower yesterday at a slow time

:roflmao: Is there a busy time in your shower?

((I shouldn’t laugh... we had 1 bathroom and 5 kids. 1 person in the shower, 1 on the loo, 1 brushing their teeth, 1 doing their hair, THE DOG (our dog considered the getting ready in the morning or for bed in bathroom the social-hour :rolleyes: ) 1 outside shouting at the rest of us to hurry up... they needed to (pick a station)!!!))

 

[Mach123]

All very true about the bathroom. We recently moved and 4 of us share a very small bathroom but, the miracle of spell check and my lazy/nonexistent editing style changed what I thought was "supermarket", to "shower". : )