There are about 200 million people who have an intellectual disability, according to the World Health Organization. Here, Alex Elliot and Ella Darling, project workers from Council for Intellectual Disability, share their experiences of navigating retail with an intellectual disability and some of the common barriers they face. Alex Elliott, project worker, Council for Intellectual Disability On store layout and design “The first challenge is being unable to enter the shop if they
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“The first challenge is being unable to enter the shop if they are in a wheelchair and the entry is narrow. If they cannot fit, they cannot enter.
The layout of a store can be confusing. Some stores are very clear, but some are all over the place and people with disability (PWD) don’t know where to go. A department store only makes the confusion worse because they are bigger.
Tall walls in aisles can make some items hard to reach for PWD and hard to pinpoint directions if we want to find something.
Aldi are usually well set up because they put their special items in the middle of the store, leaving other items in [designated] aisles. A PWD can go straight from food to the weekly specials without distraction from other items. The smaller aisles also allow them to ask for the location of an item from staff members without confusion.
Retailers could do well to follow through on the idea of having dedicated hours for PWD to shop wherein light, noise and music is cut so as to prevent overwhelming meltdowns by customers.”
Alex Elliott, project worker, Council for Intellectual Disability
On interactions with staff
“A common barrier is people unable to be noticed or being ignored by staff who are unable to understand them. Staff give up or give unclear responses which confuse PWD.
Staff members should be trained to be patient and calm when working with PWD. They should physically direct and assist them to where they want if they require direction; customer satisfaction is more important than stacking that shelf, for example.”
On online shopping
“PWD can find online shopping easier if they have had bad experiences shopping in normal stores. Confusing and mixed messages from governments in regard to ‘Corona hotspots’ may have caused PWD to shop more from home if they feel more comfortable and safer.
Some websites are very clear and well set-up for online shopping. A person selects the items they want by going to the individual folder and eventually goes to the online checkout. Details about methods of payment can be a bit hard to follow for many people. A good website should be free from pop-up ads and other distractions.”
Ella Darling, project worker, Council for Intellectual Disability
On the challenges of in-store shopping
“People [with disability can] be taken advantage of or get ripped off, for example, being told the wrong price or given “deals” that are actually not good.
Getting help can be difficult, and [PWD can sometimes be] treated badly when asking for help.”
On barriers with online shopping:
It can be hard to find the correct item
Returns are difficult. You might need to pay extra or they may not accept returns
In person you can ask questions
Reading item descriptions and info on websites can be hard especially with low literacy
Reading descriptions requires assumed knowledge. Eg: What does a certain fabric mean in clothing, what do the sizes mean?
Paying is hard and confusing. Cash is easier for keeping track of money
Many people don’t have bank/credit cards to use online
Alex & Ella’s tips for retailers:
Ensure all related items are in one place
Ensure the contents of each aisle are clearly visible
Train staff in dealing with people with intellectual disability
Provide information/messaging in an Easy Read format
Introduce dedicated low sensory hours for PWD to ensure lighting, music and noise are not overwhelming
