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Child Item

LIDL Autism Aware Quiet Evenings

Andy From Sligo

LIDL are implementing Autism Aware Quiet Evenings across all 194 Lidl stores in Ireland and Northern Ireland

- Reduced lighting
- No in-store announcements
- No music
- Priority queueing for customers dealing with autism as well as - extra assistance upon request
- Till scan sounds lowered
- Autism assistance dogs always welcome

Good idea? - any ideas on it?

I dont know why , but my skepticism always kicks in rather than thinking they are doing this for the benefit of the customer that I always think these businesses are doing new things for their own gain in the name of commercialism

Autism Aware Quiet Evenings

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goose2005

Malayalam wrote: »

Can all the places do all these things all the time please. As far as I know I am not autistic but all those things bug me.

the till announcements and loud beeps are presumably to squeeze maximum productivity from employees

PandaPoo

I got a 5 out of 50 on the test, I knew I wouldn't score highly. I think it's a great idea, I work in Tesco and find it's bright and loud and often there's a child with autism in and he screams the whole way round the shop. Anything to make his life and his mams life easier can only be a plus

Graces7

Andy From Sligo wrote: »

... only at special days/hours , at other times your on your own ... so yes if your going to have autism please make sure you have it between 6pm-8pm tuesdays please ...

If someone has a child etc with autism, shopping can be a nightmare of overstimulation and times for this less stressful access can be a blessing and a boon. To provide this is a kind and sensible thing to do. Playing a real role in the community

freshpopcorn

somefeen wrote: »

This is a bit strange because I shop in lidl and aldi mostly because they're quieter already.

Tesco is a nightmare with the music, bright lights, crowds and those ****ing self service checkouts blaring away constantly.
I dont know how anyone can work there

Well I know in my local Tesco they have staff assigned to bakery, others assigned to customer service returns, checkouts, deliveries, shelf stacking, cleaners. Now the odd time somebody might have to do the odd different thing.
In my local Lidl tough. The same two people have to do everything in the evening. I'd cope with the bit of music.

somefeen

Grayson wrote: »

Here's the AS Quotient btest that was developed by Simon Baron-Cohen who's a Professor at Cambridge. If that names familiar it's because his cousin is Borat.
https://psychology-tools.com/autism-spectrum-quotient/

Did the test, scored quiet high actually. I was reading up on the test just now and I somehow scored higher than people with actual diagnoses.
Personally I think I'm just a bit weird.

Andy From Sligo

ednwireland wrote: »

our local supervalu been doing tham for at least a year now, lovely to go in without that piped music playing

i like piped music in supermarkets - the only time it grates is at Christmas , must be a nightmare for the staff at Christmas time with the same christmas songs on loop ...

ednwireland

our local supervalu been doing tham for at least a year now, lovely to go in without that piped music playing

Andy From Sligo

dubstarr wrote: »

I got 36 out of 50 on that test.It says i have some autism traits.I think its true to an extent

I read somewhere that all domestic cats have autism ... I dunno what that has to do with the price of fish , but I just thought I would mention it ... I havent figured out yet how on earth cats manage to fill out that test! :eek:

Andy From Sligo

endacl wrote: »

Funny that. I've a similar Pavlovian reaction every time I see a new thread popping up from your good self.

isnt that a dessert ? ... - you have a dessert every time one of my threads pop up?

ah well it takes all sorts I suppose ....

dubstarr

Grayson wrote: »

Here's the AS Quotient btest that was developed by Simon Baron-Cohen who's a Professor at Cambridge. If that names familiar it's because his cousin is Borat.
https://psychology-tools.com/autism-spectrum-quotient/

I got 36 out of 50 on that test.It says i have some autism traits.I think its true to an extent

The Black Oil

It's to reduce sensory overload and the distress from that. Dublin Airport have had autism info/assistance details on their website for years and some cinemas also make accommodations re the sensory environment.

Andy From Sligo

Grayson wrote: »

Here's the AS Quotient btest that was developed by Simon Baron-Cohen who's a Professor at Cambridge. If that names familiar it's because his cousin is Borat.
https://psychology-tools.com/autism-spectrum-quotient/

thanks - i'm gonna give it a lash one day.

My wife is absolutely convinced I am on the autism scale somewhere but I will prove her wrong ... (or maybe right depending how the test goes)

Graces7

Andy From Sligo wrote: »

cor I didnt account for that one - but I can see how that be an absolute plus!

LIDL Marketing department:

"I think we should make the shopping experience a nice experience for autistic people - it would just seperate us from the rest"

Corporate man with cigar: "Its a stupid Idea , sack that man!"

another marketing 'expert': "I think we should have these nights we can reduce the lights and it will save a fortune in bills , plus we can target these shoppers, we are missing out on their business we will be quids in!"

Corporate man with cigar: "I like this man - give him a pay rise immediately! "

OH GEE! this is too too much

Andy From Sligo

dubstarr wrote: »

Well they have to endorse it,how else would anyone know.I think its a great idea.Whats the harm in helping people.

... only at special days/hours , at other times your on your own ... so yes if your going to have autism please make sure you have it between 6pm-8pm tuesdays please ...

Graces7

wakka12 wrote: »

Well personally it would make me uncomfortable that they're using a sensitive issue like this for commercial endorsement but each to their own..thats a big if of course but its definitely suspicious

That is unfair. It is good to see a big firm responding to any needs. tesco give spare food to eg V de Paul..and they have a big sign up in the Ballina shop to that effect.

The more socially aware companies are, the better . They all provide eg trollies for the disabled too..

endacl

Andy From Sligo wrote: »

I dont know why , but my skepticism always kicks in ... [/URL]

Funny that. I've a similar Pavlovian reaction every time I see a new thread popping up from your good self.

Andy From Sligo

Irish Guitarist wrote: »

Obviously it's to make themselves look good. It's not like they're a charitable organisation. It doesn't mean customers can't benefit from it though.

Reduced lighting could save them a fortune and they can say it's for the benefit of autistic children. It's a stroke of genius.

cor I didnt account for that one - but I can see how that be an absolute plus!

LIDL Marketing department:

"I think we should make the shopping experience a nice experience for autistic people - it would just seperate us from the rest"

Corporate man with cigar: "Its a stupid Idea , sack that man!"

another marketing 'expert': "I think we should have these nights we can reduce the lights and it will save a fortune in bills , plus we can target these shoppers, we are missing out on their business we will be quids in!"

Corporate man with cigar: "I like this man - give him a pay rise immediately! "

Grayson

Andy From Sligo wrote: »

you should get tested - I read once this bloke in his 50's got diagnosed with aspergers - doctors said turns out could have had it for years and at a very early age but just un-diagnosed.

I am getting worse with age with certain noises, and smells (getting very sickly to some womens perfumes, some flowers, scented candles and some cooking smells!)

- lights dont seem to affect me , in fact I like bright lights, the brighter the better, makes me feel happier than being in a dark room that makes me feel more depressed

now, talking about the shopping experience I get very jittery when the till person is rushing you (or appears to be) as you are packing and asking you for the money , your mind is "do I pack, do I pay... ooh look at that queue building up because of me!!" - thats what freaks me out lately when i dom go shopping!!

Here's the AS Quotient btest that was developed by Simon Baron-Cohen who's a Professor at Cambridge. If that names familiar it's because his cousin is Borat.
https://psychology-tools.com/autism-spectrum-quotient/

dubstarr

wakka12 wrote: »

Well personally it would make me uncomfortable that they're using a sensitive issue like this for commercial endorsement but each to their own..thats a big if of course but its definitely suspicious

Well they have to endorse it,how else would anyone know.I think its a great idea.Whats the harm in helping people.

Irish Guitarist

Obviously it's to make themselves look good. It's not like they're a charitable organisation. It doesn't mean customers can't benefit from it though.

Reduced lighting could save them a fortune and they can say it's for the benefit of autistic children. It's a stroke of genius.

Andy From Sligo

Malayalam wrote: »

Can all the places do all these things all the time please. As far as I know I am not autistic but all those things bug me.

you should get tested - I read once this bloke in his 50's got diagnosed with aspergers - doctors said turns out could have had it for years and at a very early age but just un-diagnosed.

I am getting worse with age with certain noises, and smells (getting very sickly to some womens perfumes, some flowers, scented candles and some cooking smells!)

- lights dont seem to affect me , in fact I like bright lights, the brighter the better, makes me feel happier than being in a dark room that makes me feel more depressed

now, talking about the shopping experience I get very jittery when the till person is rushing you (or appears to be) as you are packing and asking you for the money , your mind is "do I pack, do I pay... ooh look at that queue building up because of me!!" - thats what freaks me out lately when i dom go shopping!!

Grayson

somefeen wrote: »

This is a bit strange because I shop in lidl and aldi mostly because they're quieter already.

Tesco is a nightmare with the music, bright lights, crowds and those ****ing self service checkouts blaring away constantly.
I dont know how anyone can work there

I prefer tesco's but i don't go there on the very busy times and the Tesco's near me is one of the biggest in the country so there's loads of space.

Supervalu where I live is narrow, crowded and loud. I can't stand it.

Andy From Sligo

Nicolas Cage wrote: »

I heard they're doing free coffee topups for people with autism.

good - so they should

i'm in

Andy From Sligo

Petyr Baelish wrote: »

They do in their snazzy flagship store in Tallaght village but that's the only place I've heard it myself.

Regarding the concept as a whole, it's well and good for Lidl to reduce the noise they make but most of it comes from the customers themselves. Between the screaming kids and people shouting down their phones (even on Facetime weirdly) combined with the general hustle and bustle in the stores, I can't see this creating a revolutionary experience for Autistic people.

whenever I have shopped in the local Sligo one I have always found it so quite, the silence is almost deafening and i thought how nice it would be with some pleasant background music just to take the monotony of the quietness, and thought how boring it mustr be for the workers there .. but I guess that out of the window now them getting any background music in now

yes, i bet other Lidls around the country can be noisier than others I guess

wakka12

El Weirdo wrote: »

Even if so, where's the problem?

Well personally it would make me uncomfortable that they're using a sensitive issue like this for commercial endorsement but each to their own..thats a big if of course but its definitely suspicious

Malayalam

Can all the places do all these things all the time please. As far as I know I am not autistic but all those things bug me.

Harry Palmr

DEFTLEFTHAND wrote: »

Depends on what end of the spectrum they're on.

A person with mild autism would be mortified to be singled out and embarrassed in public by being asked to come to the front of the line or whatever.

If they are at the least effected end then they probably won't see the need for or advantage in using the Autistic-friendly features. Other than to skip the queues!

As pointed out Lild and Aldi do not play ear wom as it's cheaper not to bother with installing and buying the rights to play MUZAK versions of Burt Bacharach tunes

Mr. CooL ICE

I heard they're doing free coffee topups for people with autism.

Andy From Sligo

Grayson wrote: »

not really. Other people will be there too.

on those particular nights I think you can safely say the majority of people shopping there will be on the autism spectrum or carers caring for people

The reduced lighting, and priority tills and everything suited to the enviroment on those particular nights might not sit well with other shoppers and may go somewhere else - you cannot please everyone all the time.

Even when I have gone out with my son in the past I have heard other people 'tut' or give stabbing glancing looks if they have had to wait or put themselves out at all

suicide_circus

DEFTLEFTHAND wrote: »

Same here. They don't play music.

My local is a large dimly lit barn staffed by 3 people

Yep bit of a scam