Carrefour introduces ‘calm spaces’ for autism sufferers in stores

Carrefour introduces ‘calm spaces’ for autism sufferers in stores

(IN BRIEF) French supermarket chain Carrefour is increasing its support for people on the autism spectrum with new initiatives. The company is introducing store maps on the bars of its shopping trollies to help physically or mentally vulnerable people find their way around more easily. Carrefour is aiming to have store maps on all its hypermarkets’ shopping trolley bars by the end of summer 2023. The chain is also introducing “calm areas” in its hypermarkets where people can isolate themselves from the commotion of the store, which will be available in all Carrefour hypermarkets by September 2023. Disability has been a key component of the company’s Carrefour 2026 strategic plan for more than 20 years.

(PRESS RELEASE) MASSY, 4-Apr-2023 — /EuropaWire/ — At Autism France’s request, it is introducing store maps on the bars of its shopping trollies. This way, physically or mentally vulnerable people can find their way around more easily. Such people need spatial markers to prevent shopping from being an excessively draining experience for them.

So far, 93 stores have introduced this measure, and Carrefour wants all of its hypermarkets to have store maps on their shopping trolley bars by the end of summer 2023.

Autism sufferers are hypersensitive to visual and auditory stimuli and so need a calm environment in which to shop. Carrefour hypermarkets have therefore introduced calm areas (fitting rooms converted into calm spaces) with noise-cancelling headphones in which people can isolate themselves away from all the commotion of the store. These areas are identified with “calm space” stickers.

All Carrefour hypermarkets will get these spaces by September 2023.

The Group has made disability a key component of its Carrefour 2026 strategic plan. It has been committed to supporting people with disabilities for more than 20 years and has been something of a trailblazer: it has adopted an ambitious policy which aims to take everybody’s individual characteristic into account, and it has a culture structured around accepting people’s differences and promoting inclusion.

Stéfen Bompais, the Carrefour Group’s Director of Inclusivity and Customer Communications said: “Carrefour has long been committed to welcoming people with disabilities to its stores. Since April 2021, in close collaboration with Autisme France, Carrefour has had “quiet shopping times” in nearly 1000 of its stores throughout France. Having dedicated calm spaces and adding maps to the bars of its shopping trolleys are measures that are in line with this commitment – we want our stores to be more inclusive and welcoming for all of our customers, particularly those with disabilities”.

About the Carrefour Group

With a multi-format network of over 14,000 stores in nearly 40 countries, the Carrefour Group is one of the world’s leading food retailers. The Group recorded revenue of €90.8 billion in 2022. Its network of consolidated stores has more than 335,000 employees who help to make Carrefour the world leader in the food transition for everyone, providing everybody with access to high-quality, affordable food every day, no matter where they are. In total, more than 500,000 people work for Carrefour throughout the world. For more information, visit www.carrefour.com or find us on Twitter (@CarrefourNews) and LinkedIn (Carrefour).

Media Contact:

Tel.: +33 (0)1 58 47 88 80
E-mail: presse_france@carrefour.com

SOURCE: Carrefour

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