Aldi has revealed it’s trialing sensory-friendly shopping hours in select stores in the UK.

From next week until the end of October, almost 100 Aldi stores across Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire and Yorkshire will offer a quieter shopping experience every Tuesday between 6pm and 8.30pm.

If the trial is successful, the initiative will be rolled out to all of the German discounter’s UK stores, with changes including stopping tannoy announcements, quieter till scan sounds and signposting the dedicated times to all customers.

Britain’s fourth-largest supermarket also recognises the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower to help support customers and colleagues with non-visible disabilities.

Additionally, colleagues at Aldi have undergone training around hidden disabilities and the Sunflower symbol, so they can offer additional assistance to those who may require it.

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Diversity and inclusion director at Aldi UK, Vicky Metcalf, said: “Our new sensory-friendly shopping hours aim to help those who prefer a quieter shopping experience or struggle with noisy environments.”

She added: “We are committed to ensuring we are as accessible and inclusive as possible – both for shoppers and colleagues – and we look forward to receiving customer feedback on this trial to help inform our approach on a national level.”

It comes as some Aldi stores are ensuring that checkout staff check shopping bags for theft, as shoplifting rates increase amid the cost-of-living crisis.