Press Release 17th October 2023

"Silent hour" starts at BILLA in Carinthia: Quiet shopping opportunity for people with autism

Autism is a neuronal developmental disorder, a key characteristic of which is often a high sensitivity to noise and light. Shopping in noisy, light-intensive and often dense markets is accordingly difficult for people from the autism spectrum. In order to make shopping as barrier-free as possible, BILLA, in cooperation with Diakonie de La Tour, launched the pilot project "Silent Hour" in selected Carinthian markets on October 16, 2023.

Three people stand in front of a Billa supermarket, holding certificates. One person is pushing a shopping cart filled with groceries. A large sign on the cart promotes quiet shopping for people with autism. The sign is in German.

From left to right: Edelbert Schmelzer (BILLA Sales Manager), Sandra Goritschnig (BILLA Store Manager) and Kurt Aschbacher (BILLA Sales Director). / Copyright: © BILLA AG/psb-media

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At a glance

No music & no announcements - BILLA introduces the "Silent Hour" in selected stores in Klagenfurt, Völkermarkt and Krumpendorf
Targeted measures are used to support people with autism and create inclusive shopping opportunities

In order to make shopping as barrier-free as possible, BILLA, in cooperation with Diakonie de La Tour, launched the pilot project "Silent Hour" in selected Carinthian stores on October 16, 2023, daily at the following times:

Ebentaler Str. 55, 9020 Klagenfurt am Wörthersee from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.
10.-Oktober-Strasse 25, 9020 Klagenfurt am Wörthersee from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Klagenfurter Str. 38, 9100 Völkermarkt from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.
Hauptstraße 221, 9201 Krumpendorf am Wörthersee from 3:00 to 04:00 p.m.

During the "Silent Hour", music and announcements are dispensed with in the markets selected by the Carinthian Association of Social Assistance and the Carinthian University of Applied Sciences. The employees have been specially trained for dealing with people with autism by the association Inklusion:Kärnten and are sensitized accordingly. Assistance dogs are of course welcome in all stores throughout Austria. BILLA focuses on mutual consideration during the daily "silent hour" and draws attention to the quiet shopping hour with posters in the respective stores. "This pilot project is more than just a 'quiet hour'. Through it, we are promoting the participation of people with autism in social life. Thus, we are not only creating a pleasant and stress-free shopping opportunity, but also taking an important step towards an inclusive society," says Kurt Aschbacher, BILLA Sales Director for the Carinthia and East Tyrol region.

"It is very important to us to create a welcoming and pleasant shopping experience for all our customers. Of course, this also includes people who prefer a less hectic shopping environment due to autism. By introducing 'Silent Hour' in various provinces, including Carinthia, Vienna, Burgenland, Styria and Upper Austria, we are breaking down barriers and promoting an inclusive shopping environment. In cooperation with local social organizations, we plan to expand this initiative to other Austrian cities and communities," says Sandra Edelmann, Diversity & Inclusion Manager at REWE Group.