MORRISONS at Kendal is to introduce a quieter hour for customers who would benefit from a calmer shopping trip.

Designed to help customers who currently struggle with music and the other noise associated with supermarket shopping, it will take place every Saturday in the The Old Showground store from 9am-10am.

The Quieter Hour initiative has been created with the support of the National Autistic Society. Many people who are autistic or those with autistic children can find shopping in a supermarket an anxious experience.

Morrisons carried out a trial earlier in the year in three of its stores to find out what improvements can be made and to find a convenient time each week for the ‘Quieter Hour’ to take place.

They found one in five had a friend or family member with autism and many appreciated the option to shop at that time on a Saturday.

The store will:

lDim the lights

lTurn music and radio off

lAvoid making tannoy announcements

lReduce movement of trolleys and baskets

lTurn checkout beeps and other electrical noises down

lPlace a poster outside to tell customers it’s Quieter Hour.