Morrisons supermarket will be showing their support for the National Autistic Society by introducing a 'quiet hour’.

Many people who are autistic or those with autistic children can find shopping in a supermarket an anxious experience.

Having carried out a trial earlier in the year in their Lincoln, Woking and Gainsborough stores, Morrisons identified improvements that could be made as well as the best time for the Quieter Hour to take place.

Daniel Cadey, the from the National Autistic Society said: “Around 700,000 people are on the autism spectrum in the UK. This means they see, hear and feel the world differently to other people, often in a more intense way. Morrisons ‘Quieter Hour’ is a step in the right direction for autistic people who find supermarket shopping a real struggle.”

Listening to customers, the supermarket found that one in five had a friend or family member with autism and many liked the idea of being able to shop in more comfort at 9-10am on a Saturday.

During Quieter Hours, stores will:

Dim the lights

Turn music and radio off

Avoid making tannoy announcements

Reduce movement of trolleys and baskets

Turn checkout beeps and other electrical noises down

Place a poster outside to tell customers it’s Quieter Hour

The ‘Quiet Hour’ will take place in all Morrisons stores from 9 to 10am every Saturday.