What: A retail consultant argues that harsh lighting, loud music, confusing layouts and forced staff interactions are driving neurodivergent and next-generation shoppers out of stores, and that sensory-friendly design is a growth strategy.

Why it is important: The article presents sensory-friendly design as a way to win back younger shoppers who find aggressive engagement and stimulation antagonistic, extending a trend already visible in Walmart's sensory hours, Selfridges' Quiet Hour and Westfield London's sensory room.

Consultant Jasmine Glasheen, who advises brands on next-generation consumers and was diagnosed with autism late in life, argues that fluorescent lighting, loud music, confusing layouts and forced staff conversations make many stores hard to tolerate for the 15 to 20 percent of the population who are neurodivergent. She cites autism diagnosis rates of one in 45 adults and one in 31 children, and recounts a pet store visit where a faulty parking meter and an intrusive associate turned a simple purchase into an overwhelming one. Younger shoppers, she adds, report similar overstimulation.

She proposes three fixes. Staff should move from constant to consensual engagement, as in Sephora's color-coded baskets tested in Europe that signal whether a shopper wants help. Stores should curate sensory output, citing Walmart's permanent daily sensory hours and Lush's managed lighting and sound. Layouts should be predictable, as in Aldi's single fixed loop, boxed displays and ultra-wide aisles. She presents inclusive design as a growth strategy that also serves parents, older adults and employees on long shifts.

IADS Notes: Sensory-friendly measures in physical retail have moved from pilots to permanent features. Walmart made its 8 to 10 a.m. sensory hours permanent across U.S. stores after a successful test (Retail Dive, November 2023), and Westfield London opened a permanent sensory room for visitors with sensory processing disorders, autism and ADHD (Retail Week, February 2025). Selfridges then extended its Quiet Hour, with lowered music and switched-off screens, to every weekday across its stores (Drapers, April 2025). On the service side, UK government research found 65% of respondents reporting access barriers in retail and called for tailored solutions, co-design with disabled customers and enhanced staff training (Forbes, July 2025).

Sensory-unfriendly stores are driving neurodivergent and next-gen shoppers away