Aldi teams up with RNIB to trial audio prompts for traffic light system
Aldi has teamed up with the Royal National Institute of Blind People to trial the addition of audio prompts to its traffic light entry system that was introduced to stores during the Covid-19 lockdown.
The addition is designed to help blind and partially-sighted customers to enter the shops whilst maintaining social distancing.
Following discussions with the charity, Aldi and its supplier Ocucon are piloting the enhanced system in Aldi’s Goldthorpe store in South Yorkshire.
In addition to signalling when shoppers can enter stores based on limits to customer numbers, the system will use a series of beeps to let blind and partially-sighted customers know when they can safely go in.
Marc Powell, strategic accessibility lead for the RNIB, said: “Social distancing has turned the world upside down for people with sight loss. Not only has it prevented many people from being guided effectively, but many of the indicators to aid social distancing are visual in nature, making them inaccessible for people who are blind or partially sighted. It’s fantastic that Aldi has recognised these challenges and worked with us to provide an audible addition to its current traffic light system, enabling it to become accessible to customers with sight loss.”
