Coinciding with
Neurodiversity Celebration Week,
Tesco Mobile
has rolled out the UK telco-industry’s first Sensory Support Box initiative. Launching as a large-scale trial in 50 Phone Shops across the country, and supported the National Autistic Society, the initiative aims to make visiting a Tesco Mobile Phone Shop
a more positive experience for neurodiverse customers.
The initiative comes after interviews and research conducted with neurodivergent consumers and parents of neurodivergent children* identified that in-store shopping in
general can be ‘challenging’. The research found noise and lighting were the two most mentioned causes of overstimulation for those who participated.
Participants referenced that they ‘try to avoid’ going into shops and stores as much as possible* and have frequently adapted shopping times to earlier in the morning
due to the impact of busier periods.
To try and create a more positive shopping experience, Tesco Mobile will be trialling its Sensory Support Boxes in 50 Phone Shops across the country, off the back of a
successful launch in an initial 10 stores. The boxes have been described by those who tested them as “more inclusive,” leaving neurodiverse shoppers feeling “understood.”*
To further improve instore experience, specialised training to support customers with hidden disabilities who wear sunflower lanyards, has been rolled out to all Tesco
Mobile Phone Shops. This training explores different scenarios commonly faced by shoppers to instil confidence in supporting diverse needs.
Tom Davis, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Manager at Tesco Mobile, expressed,
“At Tesco Mobile, we’re proud to be leading the way and making shopping experiences more accessible and enjoyable for our customers.
Customers who visit our Phone Shops are often digesting
quite a bit of information and making decisions that require attention and focus, which may be difficult and overwhelming.
We intend to roll out
the sensory boxes to all 500 of our Phone Shops across the UK as well as continuing to develop them to ensure they are as helpful as possible for a diverse range of needs.”
