Why businesses are offering 'Quiet Hour'
More peace and quiet, less stress — the Quiet Hour is an initiative for people with invisible disabilities. An increasing number of stores and institutions
More peace and quiet, less stress — the Quiet Hour is an initiative for people with invisible disabilities. An increasing number of stores and institutions in Germany are launching similar campaigns. Since the beginning of June, everything quiets down in German Ikea stores on Wednesdays between 5 and 7 p.m. with no music to be heard, dimmer lights and no announcements over the PA system (except in the case of an emergency). All in all, customers and staff are experiencing less of a strain on their senses — and that's the whole idea behind the Quiet Hour. The concept stems from an initiative by the German association Gemeinsam Zusammen (Together Together). "We want the Quiet Hour to provide relief for people with invisible disabilities. Their nervous systems are often permanently overwhelmed, which is why we'd like to provide them with moments of relief, with low sensory stimulation," Rebecca Lefevre, the association's spokesperson, told DW. The Quiet Hour is meant to break down the kind of barriers that often prevent sensory sensitive individuals from even leaving the house to avoid overload, which can hamper communication and result in social isolation. Rebecca Lefevre is a spokesperson for the Gemeinsam Zusammen association Image: Alea Horst Able-bodied people are often not consciously aware of the many different ways a shopping trip to a supermarket or furniture store can be a real shock to the senses.
Colorful signs, rattling shopping carts and different overlapping scents are overwhelming for many people, including for people with autism spectrum disorder, ADHD or those suffering from chronic fatigue, chronic pain, psychological disorders or other conditions affecting their senses. 'Raising awareness is the main goal' The pioneer of the Quiet Hour is New Zealander Theo Hogg, who has an autistic child and works at a supermarket chain. In 2019, he persuaded his employer to introduce a "Quiet Hour" in all stores across the country. Since then, a number of countries have followed his lead. Germany has had its own initiative for inclusion since 2023. "For us, raising awareness is the main goal," explained Lefevre. "People with these kinds of disabilities often can't say exactly what the precise problem is, and their conditions aren't visible to others. These people often just get told they're just putting on an act." More and more German businesses and stores are observing a Quiet Hour — including many Edeka and Rewe supermarkets. Rudolf Schmidt runs one such Rewe in Diez, near Frankfurt, where the Quiet Hour lasts from 3 to 4 p.m. every Wednesday. Employees dim the lights, turn off the beeping sound of the cash registers and postpone restocking shelves. "And if there's someone talking loudly on the phone, we kindly ask them to end their call," explained Schmidt.
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