Walmart to offer sensory-friendly shopping hours each morning

Starting Friday, Walmart stores will be a bit quieter and calmer each morning.

The retail giant on Tuesday said it will offer “sensory-friendly hours” from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. each day at all U.S. stores “with no planned end date,” following a successful test during the back-to-school shopping season.

To reduce sensory stimuli, the retailer turned off its in-store radio, dimmed the lights and set TVs in the electronics department to a static image.

“The feedback of the pilot program was overwhelmingly positive,” several Walmart executives said in a company blog post. “The changes may have seemed small to some, but for others they transformed the shopping experience.”

Both customers and store employees, Walmart said, asked for the program to continue.

“Belonging looks different for each person, but when we listen and value everyone’s perspectives, thoughtful change can happen,” the retailer said. “During these hours, we hope our customers and associates will find the stores to be a little easier on the eyes and ears. These changes are thanks to those who shared their feedback on how their stores could help them feel like they belong.”

Walmart’s back-to-school sensory-friendly hours took place from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Saturdays last July and August.

Related:New Seasons Market debuts sensory-friendly shopping time

Earlier this month, Portland, Oregon-based New Seasons Market said it was launching a sensory-friendly hour each week at its 20 grocery stores in Oregon and Washington.

The grocer said it would pause public-address announcements, turn off music and reduce the volume on employee walkie-talkies to “create a calm and sensory-friendly environment.”

“New Seasons Market has always prioritized our customers’ needs and desires, and we believe that everyone should feel comfortable while shopping with us,” Nikotris Perkins, senior director of diversity, equity and inclusion and New Seasons Market, said in a statement. “The introduction of Sensory Friendly Hour demonstrates our desire to create inclusive spaces where more members of our community can shop at their own pace, without being overwhelmed by sensory stimuli.”