From sensory stress to satisfaction: A guide to making retail more neuro-inclusive

How often does a retailer view their own store through the lens of a neurodivergent person? An entrepreneur does not need to be told that a pleasant and welcoming environment is good for sales. However, what constitutes a pleasant environment for neurodivergent individuals can differ significantly from the retail concepts currently found on the high street. FashionUnited is therefore investigating what makes a shopping experience neuro-inclusive.

Accessibility in the broadest sense has received more attention in recent years. This is partly due to the European Digital Accessibility Act, which came into force in June 2025 and focuses on the accessibility of e-commerce sites. At the same time, there is also broader attention on inclusivity. The focus on inclusivity for neurodivergent people, however, is still lagging. This is partly because there is a lack of understanding about what neurodivergence is and what this group needs.

Precise figures vary, but it is estimated that one in five people is neurodivergent. If 20 percent of potential customers avoid a store because it does not offer a pleasant shopping experience, there is still much to be gained from a commercial perspective.

Can neurodivergent people not just use the e-commerce site? They certainly can, provided it is not overstimulating. Overstimulation can be caused by auto-playing videos, pop-ups, a cluttered layout, too much text and overly bright colours. When it comes to fashion, another element comes into play. It is important to be able to feel the fabrics and try on clothes. Itchy fabrics, restrictive cuts or scratchy tags all contribute to overstimulation. It is therefore helpful to be able to filter out these elements in-store, rather than ordering an item and having to return it for these reasons.

Besides being a commercial choice, making a store more neuro-inclusive is also simply the humane choice. It shows that the experience of neurodivergent people matters and ensures they feel seen, both literally and figuratively.

Attention to neurodiversity: Lego, Sephora, the O2 Centre and the German city of Wiesbaden

Various stores have already taken steps to be more inclusive. Consider, for example, the quiet hour in some supermarkets. This eliminates the stimulus of sound and unpredictable announcement systems. The German city of Wiesbaden has gone a step further, introducing a quiet hour for the entire city. Every Thursday between three and five in the afternoon, the lights are dimmed and sounds are reduced. Twenty retailers in the city centre are participating in the initiative.

Another option is the introduction of a sensory-friendly room in a store or shopping centre. This has already been introduced at the O2 Centre in London, for example, under the name ‘Safe Space’. In such a room, you can find soft walls, chairs with different textures and coloured lighting. These elements are intended to help restore a sense of calm.

Toymaker Lego offers neurodivergent children a ‘sensory pack. This pack can be requested from a staff member upon entry and consists of sunglasses, a fidget toy, headphones and a card on which the child can indicate their emotion.

Solutions for a self-created problem

Expert Saskia Schepers thinks the attention to neurodiversity is good, but she also adds a nuance. “These initiatives, such as Lego's sensory pack and the sensory-friendly rooms in shopping centres, sound good, but they are solutions to a self-created problem. Music is often too loud in shops and restaurants; a shopping centre can sometimes be an overload of neon or flashing lights; and instructions are often unclear. You do not have to be neurodivergent to be bothered by this. If the experience of neurodivergent people were taken into account from the outset, such measures would not be necessary.”

Understanding staff is half the battle won

Schepers indicates that it would already help if staff understood that customers have different needs. It would also be good if people recognised the so-called ‘sunflower lanyard,’ a lanyard developed to identify a non-visible disability. This could be an autistic person who is very sensitive to stimuli or needs more context or support. For example, when staff members are aware that someone has such a support need before approaching them, they can adjust their communication style. Staff training can make a significant difference to the shopping experience.

The Belgian initiative De Warmste Entree has a special training course for retail staff on how to interact with people with ‘social interaction difficulties’. In this training, people with social interaction difficulties include not only neurodivergent people but also those with a mild intellectual disability.

The freely accessible training provides several good tips, including from autistic people, such as a woman who likes to be briefly greeted by the shop assistant so she knows who to ask for help without it being immediately imposed. The training also advises being clear and leaving no room for ambiguity. So no: ‘This does not work’ or ‘You cannot go there.’ When speaking with someone who has social interaction difficulties, it is also important to keep body language clear and open, but not to touch or stare at the person.

Interaction with staff emerges as one of the key points when Schepers posts a question on Neurodiversiteit Netwerk Nederland about improving the shopping experience. Some indicate they do not want to be approached immediately or would like a way to signal whether they want to talk and/or need help. These responses are reminiscent of a 2019 initiative by beauty retailer Sephora, which allowed customers to indicate whether they needed help using different coloured baskets: Red indicated a desire for help, while black meant no help was preferred. Offering self-service checkouts also reduces the need for interaction with shop assistants. This can be beneficial for neurodivergent visitors.

Neurodivergent people share their views: What makes a pleasant shopping experience?

In addition to interactions with staff, environmental stimuli also play a major role in the shopping experience for neurodivergent visitors. Reducing disruptive light and sound stimuli is a well-known approach. However, responses from the Neurodiversiteit Netwerk Nederland show that there are other points to consider as well.

A crowded or unclear store layout can be overwhelming, sometimes referred to as ‘visual clutter.’ Too many products on multiple levels cause stress for neurodivergent customers. Retailers can easily prevent this by incorporating more ‘breathing space’ into the store concept and creating visual rest points.

Finally, other senses also play a role. Scent is often underestimated but can make or break a shopping experience. Strong-smelling cleaning products or excessive perfume can distract or discomfort visitors. Subtle scents that complement the brand experience without being overpowering offer a pleasant experience for everyone.

A neuro-inclusive shopping experience also benefits neurotypical people

Schepers is clear: anyone wanting to create a neuro-inclusive shopping experience cannot do so without involving neurodivergent people. Feedback from the target group is important and more often than not, surprising. Additionally, adjustments in the store that are good for neurodivergent people are often also good for neurotypical people. After all, who has not walked down the high street after a busy day at work with a throbbing headache, made worse by loud music? Or consider a pregnant woman who is sensitive to smells due to nausea, or someone in a wheelchair navigating a store with a slightly too narrow layout.

Feeling overwhelmed by the options for making the store more neuro-inclusive? “Start somewhere. You can never get it right for everyone, but you have to start somewhere: less noise, less visual chaos and more space are already game changers,” advises Schepers.