Sainsbury's trials weekly Slow Shopping session to help elderly customers

A supermarket is introducing a weekly "Slow Shopping" session to help elderly or vulnerable customers.

The Sainsbury's store in Gosforth, Newcastle, will have staff on hand to greet people at the door and help with their shopping as well as putting out chairs at the end of aisles.

The trial, which will run every Tuesday between 1pm and 3pm, will also see two help desks set up offering free samples of fruit, biscuits and cake.

Katherine Vero, founder of Slow Shopping, came up with the idea after finding it difficult to go shopping with her mother after she developed dementia.

She said: "My mum used to love shopping but as her dementia developed it became increasingly difficult and stressful for us both.

"But I didn't want her to stop going out and become isolated. I wondered if there was a way to help us enjoy shopping.

"After she passed away, I was inspired to come up with the idea of Slow Shopping and was delighted when Sainsbury's agreed to help me trial it. I hope other retailers will follow."

Earlier this year, an Asda store in Manchester introduced a "quiet hour" to help autistic and disabled shoppers.

The special disability-friendly hour was started to help local people who feel intimidated or stressed by noise and disturbance.

It involved the store opening an hour early without many electronic distractions, such as escalators and display TVs, and no announcements made over the tannoy.