Woolworths Supermarkets’ Post

https://buff.ly/4cNIeK9 In 2022, we created a ‘Sensory Supermarket’ at UCL PEARL, to help highlight the features of the environment that can make supermarkets one of the most difficult public spaces for autistic people, and how they could be made better. Community Champion for ASDA Dagenham, Gemma Gray, was present at the event. This is what she had to say about her experience: “The Sensory Supermarket event was incredibly educational. My role as the Community Champion means that if anyone is having a hard time in-store I will go and help them. I usually do this in the aisle but now I know that taking them to a quieter place will make things much easier for them.” “There are lots of other ideas I’ll take back to the store too, like the implementing of the store map - that is such an easy thing that we can do. Plus, with the self-scan machines we have the ability to turn the volume down, but the customers just don't know that. All we need to do there is put up a sign giving people the option.” With the launch of our supermarket guide, we hope to continue to inspire progress in supermarkets, for staff and customers alike. Find out more here: https://buff.ly/3PaEp7E #autism #autistic #sensoryprocessing #sensory #spd #neurodiversity #disability #research #inclusion #accessibility #retail #grocery #supermarket

When grocery store employees ask Marcia Yale, national president of the Alliance for Equality of Blind Canadians, if she wants to use the self-checkout, she responds with her own question: “I say, ‘Well, do you want to use it?’” Yale, who is completely blind, can only use self-checkout machines and other self-serve kiosks independently if the machine reads out what is on the screen. Finding accessibility features on most self-serve machines is nearly impossible, she says. The only ones she can use are bank-issued automatic teller machines. “If [the self-serve machines are] just touchscreens with no audio, I can’t use them,” Yale said. Self-serve machines have become an ubiquitous way to place restaurant orders, buy transit tickets or purchase groceries. But for many consumers with disabilities, they are self-serve in name only. These machines often do not have features to make them accessible for consumers with disabilities, or consumers cannot find these features. A recent study from the University of Waterloo explores these barriers. Meagan Gillmore reports: https://lnkd.in/ejbBa8q2

Enhancing Accessibility in Retail: How Blind Ambition Can Help Major Retailers and Shopping Centres

The Curious Case of the Disappearing Pickup Spots Have you ever wondered how people act when they think no one's watching? 🤔 I recently pondered this while trying to grab groceries from my local Safeway's designated pickup spots. These spots are a lifesaver for busy people juggling meetings and errands. But more often than not, I find them occupied by cars that aren't using the service. It's a bit of a puzzle. Signs clearly indicate these spots are for pickup only, yet they seem to be consistently ignored. Is it a lack of awareness? A disregard for the rules? Or perhaps a simple misunderstanding? This got me thinking about how we all have a responsibility to be mindful of others, even in seemingly small situations. It's about respecting shared spaces and considering how our actions impact those around us. I know this is a good reminder for me. I may not do this, but maybe I'm causing issues somewhere else without even knowing. So, That said, the next time you're tempted to park in a designated Accessible or pickup spot, even for "just a minute," remember that someone might be counting on that space to make their day a little easier. It's a small act of kindness that can go a long way. #Community #Consideration #SharedSpaces

Understanding Equity… and Trolleys! As an ED&I consultant, I often emphasise the importance of equity in creating fair and inclusive environments, using real-life examples to illustrate equity in practice. Equity isn’t about treating everyone the same; it's about meeting people where they are and providing the resources they need to succeed. Recently, I shared a personal example during a session that perfectly demonstrates this. Shopping with children can be challenging (or traumatic... you choose!), especially when most supermarkets only have single-seater trolleys or those designed for a toddler and a baby, which doesn’t fit my situation. On one particularly hectic trip, a kind assistant noticed me struggling and went out of their way to find the one and only twin trolley in the supermarket. I'd previously thought this trolley was a myth, having suffered many shopping trips with my twins arguing over who has to walk. But this simple yet crucial accommodation transformed my experience, making my shopping trip smooth and tantrum-free. This experience is a powerful reminder of what simple equity looks like in practice. Just as that twin trolley enabled me to shop effectively, equitable practices in the workplace ensure all employees have the support they need to thrive. Equity isn’t just a policy but a mindset and a commitment to understanding and valuing individual differences. By embracing equity, we can create environments where everyone has the opportunity to succeed. (One very happy shopper here!) #Equity #Diversity #Inclusion #EDI #Equality #Support #InclusiveWorkplace #Consulting

Put it back where you picked it up from. There are two kinds of people who go shopping - the 'return to source' types or 'leave it wherever the heck I want' types. As a PROUD ex-retail store worker, if I no longer want something whilst I'm shopping, I always go back exactly to the spot I picked it up to return it. I really annoy my kids because I make them do it too, but here's why. It's a small token of compassion and empathy - if we don't do it, a store employee will have to. At the end of a long shift, all these misplaced items add up and need to be re-stacked - this just causes everyone to go home later than they should. Returning items is a small way to remind us to not be entitled that someone will clear up after us (it doesn't work with the kids at home btw, I'm not a miracle worker). This isn't just about shopping - being courteous, tidying after yourself, kindness...it's the small things that create the biggest ripples in society. And as for you 'leave it wherever the heck I want' types - you know who you are! It's not too late for you. Come and be on the right side of history with us returners. 😄 #leadership #retail #empathy #compassion #entitlement

A PROPOSED class action claims Walmart has violated federal law by failing to ensure that its website is fully and equally accessible to consumers who are blind or have vision-related disabilities. The 22-page lawsuit was filed by two Minnesota consumers who are legally blind and navigate the internet by relying on screen-reader technology, which reads the content of a webpage to users. The plaintiffs allege that Walmart.com, in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), contains numerous “digital barriers” that block users of screen-reader software from fully accessing important website content that is readily available to sighted consumers. For example, the plaintiffs claim Walmart.com fails to alert screen-reader users to pop-up window content. “Instead, screen readers remain focused on the content of the website’s underlying page,” the suit shares. “As a result, pop-up content [Walmart] deems sufficiently important to convey to its sighted website visitors is completely unavailable to screen reader users.” In addition, the case contends the website does not provide adequate text equivalents for images, meaning that individuals with visual impairments are not able to understand a featured picture’s content and purpose. Walmart.com also fails to provide sufficient descriptions of what certain links and buttons do, making a screen-reader user’s navigation of the website an “exercise in trial and error,” the complaint charges. “When digital content is properly formatted, it is universally accessible to everyone,” the filing says. “When it’s not, the content provider fails to communicate with individuals with a visual disability effectively.” Consumers with visual impairments must, therefore, spend extra time and effort to surmount these communication barriers, which often leads such individuals to “abandon the process of purchasing items online after they begin,” the lawsuit relays. The lawsuit looks to represent anyone who is blind or has a low vision disability within the meaning of the ADA who uses screen-reader auxiliary aids to navigate digital online content and has accessed, attempted to access or may access Walmart.com.

#Choice #Coles #Woolworths #criticism #inaccuracy Consumer group Choice under attack from a broader study showing it overstates price differences, with Coles and Woolworths criticizing the taxpayer-funded results as inaccurate. https://lnkd.in/gG-HuEMd

TW: Themes of loss and family bereavement. 📣 An incredibly moving piece from Lunas Fund, beautifully representing the impact of #babyloss using Starbucks coffee cups. A powerful campaign that we at Tozers all support during #BabyLossAwarenessWeek. 💜 #bebrave #bebold #saytheirnames 

https://lnkd.in/eGfBUvNJ I don’t like the term “disability” – it’s all about ABILITY. My ABILITY may be different from yours, and that’s what makes us unique. Every person has something they can do – whether it’s finding joy in the sun, making others laugh, or being a team player. People shouldn’t have to adapt to the world; there’s a place for everyone. We should be teaching our children this mindset. My kids don’t judge – they’re taught to accept, adapt, and appreciate everyone for their individual ABILITIES. I watched this video and it’s beautiful – I wish we saw more of it. #AbilityNotDisability #Inclusion #Acceptance #TeachAcceptance