Accessibility in retail: New approaches to a more inclusive shopping experience

Accessibility in retail is increasingly extending beyond ramps and elevators. Around the world, individual retailers are exploring new ways to make shopping more inclusive, ranging from digital navigation and accessible self-checkouts to sensory-friendly shopping hours and communication services. While these initiatives are not yet common practice across the industry, they illustrate how accessibility is gradually becoming part of the overall customer experience.

Digital services are playing an increasingly important role in creating more accessible shopping environments. In its Vantaa store, IKEA Finland is testing a combination of app-based navigation and personal shopping assistance. Customers can use a mobile application to find their way through the store and request additional support if needed.

The pilot project combines digital and personal services to help customers shop more independently while exploring how technology can improve accessibility throughout the in-store customer journey.

Accessibility is also becoming an important consideration at the point of sale. US retailer Target is rolling out an accessible self-checkout solution developed in collaboration with blind and visually impaired users.

The system includes tactile controls, adjustable audio guidance and an interface designed to make the checkout process easier to navigate independently. It demonstrates how accessibility is increasingly being integrated into digital touchpoints within physical stores.

Sensory-friendly shopping hours are another approach that is gaining visibility in retail. IKEA Germany now offers a weekly "Quiet Hour" nationwide, during which loudspeaker announcements are reduced, lighting is adjusted and noise-intensive activities are kept to a minimum.

The initiative is designed particularly for customers with autism, ADHD or sensory sensitivities, while potentially creating a more comfortable shopping environment for many others as well. It highlights how accessibility can also be supported through the careful design of the in-store experience.

Accessibility is not limited to physical infrastructure or digital technology. Ukrainian retailer Foxtrot has expanded its sign language interpretation service to dozens of stores, allowing customers to communicate with interpreters via tablets or QR codes during their visit.

The service complements other accessibility measures, including hearing support systems and improved store infrastructure. Together, these initiatives demonstrate how communication services can help remove barriers and create a more inclusive shopping experience.

These examples illustrate the different ways retailers are approaching accessibility today. While most initiatives are still individual projects rather than industry-wide standards, they point towards a broader understanding of inclusive retail. Beyond physical access, retailers are increasingly considering navigation, communication, digital services and the overall shopping experience as part of a more accessible customer journey.