Retailers increasingly adopting 'Quiet Shopping Hours' - Shops Across the Nation Adopting "Quiet Time" Practices
In various cities across Hesse, a movement towards creating more inclusive and accessible shopping environments for people with sensory sensitivities is underway. Known as the "Quiet Hour" initiative, this approach aims to ease daily life for individuals with conditions such as autism, ADHD, anxiety disorders, migraines, or long COVID.
While there is currently no widespread implementation of dedicated Quiet Hours in shopping centers and stores across Hesse or Germany, significant strides are being made towards improving accessibility and inclusion for people with various impairments.
The German Accessibility Strengthening Act (Barrierefreiheitsstärkungsgesetz, BFSG), which came into force on 28 June 2025, implements the European Accessibility Act (EAA). This legislation requires economic operators offering goods and services in Germany to ensure their accessibility to people with visual, auditory, motor, or cognitive impairments without undue difficulty or assistance.
In line with this, detailed technical standards outlined in the ordinance accompanying the BFSG (BFSGV) specify accessibility requirements. Although quiet hours are not explicitly mentioned, the overarching aim is to remove barriers and promote usability of services, which could encourage retailers and shopping centers to adopt measures such as reduced noise periods or sensory-friendly times voluntarily or as part of compliance over time.
One city leading the way in implementing the Quiet Hour is Wiesbaden, where the Galeria department store and several other businesses have adopted the sensory-friendly shopping experience. In addition, a Rewe supermarket in Heusenstamm offers the Quiet Hour on Wednesdays from 3 to 5 pm, with slow cashiers, reduced noise levels, dimmed lights, and inactive escalators.
Retailers in Hesse have received positive feedback on social media regarding the Quiet Hour initiative, both from customers and employees. The Hesse Retail Association supports the introduction of the Quiet Hour, viewing it as an aspect of daily business for retailers to promote inclusion.
Other cities, such as Darmstadt's Kranichstein district and Kassel, have also started implementing the Quiet Hour concept. Meanwhile, Fulda, Frankfurt, Gießen, Marburg, and Hanau have not yet implemented the initiative, though Hanau is considering introducing it in the Stadthof leisure and shopping center.
Public retreat spaces for neurodiverse people exist in municipal museums but are not currently actively promoted. Action days could be held in certain public areas, such as low-stimulation offices with dimmed lighting and no time pressure, as a result of information events held in various cities.
The Luisenforum shopping center in Wiesbaden has created a relaxation room for individuals experiencing sensory overload, further demonstrating a commitment to creating more inclusive spaces.
The Quiet Hour initiative originated as a project by a father of an autistic child in New Zealand and has since been implemented in many countries. As accessibility legislation continues to push for more inclusive environments, it is likely that the Quiet Hour will become more widespread in shopping centers and stores across Germany in the near future.
- The European Accessibility Act (EAA), which has been implemented in Germany through the German Accessibility Strengthening Act (BFSG), requires economic operators to ensure their goods and services are accessible to people with various impairments, suggesting that reduced noise periods or sensory-friendly times could be implemented voluntarily or as part of compliance.
- In line with community policy promoting accessibility and inclusion, some retailers in Hesse have adopted the sensory-friendly shopping experience, such as the Galeria department store in Wiesbaden and a Rewe supermarket in Heusenstamm, offering the Quiet Hour on specific days and hours.
- Employment policy could also incorporate mental health considerations as retailers and shopping centers address the needs of people with sensory sensitivities, providing opportunities for job seekers with autism, ADHD, and anxiety disorders to work in inclusive environments during the Quiet Hour.
- In the realm of health-and-wellness, the Quiet Hour can be viewed as a viable strategy to promote stress reduction and mental health improvement, fostering a sense of well-being for people with sensory sensitivities and reducing anxiety levels in shopping environments.
- As the Quiet Hour initiative becomes more prevalent, social-media platforms could serve as valuable resources for individuals seeking sensory-friendly shopping experiences, allowing them to share their experiences and recommendations with others in the community, ultimately making the initiative more visible and accessible to all.
