A grocery store in Scotland is making major waves after opening what they're calling a "relaxed checkout line."
Tesco, a major U.K. grocery chain, has a long history of stepping up to the plate and helping people out. The store is heavily involved in charity, and is always looking for ways to be more accessible and friendly to their community.
Since there are chains all over the country, that means each store individually rolls out programs to help people living in their own specific location.
The Tesco in Forres, Scotland, realized that what their community really needed was a low-stress version of the typical shopping experience. That's when they introduced the "relaxed checkout," a mellow, slow-paced line designed for people who don't want to be rushed.
The idea is to give people who might be overwhelmed by the task of grocery shopping a little bit more time to get their bearings.
So far, the program is earning rave reviews from shoppers throughout the area. It has also really putt Tesco Forres on the map.
Like most communities in the U.K., the small Scottish town of Forres has a Tesco.
Tesco is one of the biggest supermarket chains in the country, and it's where a lot of people go to do their shopping.
Recently, however, the team at Tesco Forres realized that the store might not be very welcoming for some shoppers.
With that in mind, the team at the shop came up with a really lovely and welcoming idea for all shoppers: they created a "relaxed checkout" for slower-moving shoppers.
The opening of the new checkout went up on Facebook, where it inspired rave reviews from people in Forres and beyond.
Around 14,000 people reacted to the news online, and hundreds of folks left comments praising the new initiative.
They set up the checkout with a special sign that reads:
"Relaxed Checkout: Feel free to take as long as you need to go through this checkout today. Please be aware that you may experience a wait to complete your transaction. Thank you."
The sign is meant to both assure people in the line that there's no rush, and head off any impatient folks waiting behind them.
On their Facebook page, the store's team elaborated on the choice, adding:
Today we officially opened Scotland’s first relaxed checkout.
This will be a checkout where customers can take the time they need to completed their purchases without feeling rushed or under any pressure.
It is aimed at anyone who just wants to take their time, including those who suffer from dementia, Alzheimer's, social anxiety issues or are on the autistic spectrum.
As part of this we were filmed by the BBC for Reporting Scotland and will be on tonight's news program.
We hope this will be a great success and a benefit to those customers who choose to use it.
Right now, they're just trying out the program to see whether the community takes to it. So far, people seem to be warming to the idea fast.
We all know how hectic and overwhelming the grocery store is at the best of times, so for people who are especially susceptible to overstimulation, it can be really challenging.
That includes folks with autism who might find the sensory input distressing, or elderly people who might be in the early stages of dementia and are easily confused by the hubbub of a busy supermarket.
Already Tesco Forres is getting noticed by the news, so we're hoping that it's the beginning of an awesome trend in supermarkets worldwide!
Make sure to SHARE if you'd like to see some "relaxed checkouts" in a grocery store near you!
