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| 'Purple Tuesday' to highlight needs of disabled shoppers | 'Purple Tuesday' to highlight needs of disabled shoppers |
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| Some of the UK’s biggest retailers are taking a break from the frantic buildup to Christmas this week for “Purple Tuesday”, the first national day dedicated to the needs of disabled shoppers. | Some of the UK’s biggest retailers are taking a break from the frantic buildup to Christmas this week for “Purple Tuesday”, the first national day dedicated to the needs of disabled shoppers. |
| Asda, Marks & Spencer and Sainsbury’s are among more than 700 businesses – after an initial target of only 50 – who had joined the initiative by Monday morning. Companies are required to make at least one long-term commitment to improve the experience of disabled customers in order to take part. | Asda, Marks & Spencer and Sainsbury’s are among more than 700 businesses – after an initial target of only 50 – who had joined the initiative by Monday morning. Companies are required to make at least one long-term commitment to improve the experience of disabled customers in order to take part. |
| The event was founded by Mike Adams, the chief executive of Purple, a not-for-profit organisation that campaigns for businesses to be more inclusive and to do more to allow people to spend the so-called “purple pound”. | The event was founded by Mike Adams, the chief executive of Purple, a not-for-profit organisation that campaigns for businesses to be more inclusive and to do more to allow people to spend the so-called “purple pound”. |
| Purple estimates British people with disabilities spend £249bn a year on retail and leisure, but many disabled people feel ill-served on the high street, a particularly acute issue as the move to online shopping leaves bricks-and-mortar retailers struggling. | Purple estimates British people with disabilities spend £249bn a year on retail and leisure, but many disabled people feel ill-served on the high street, a particularly acute issue as the move to online shopping leaves bricks-and-mortar retailers struggling. |
| Adams said he wants the event to “demonstrate to retailers that there are things that can be done at no cost” and to “start some momentum for businesses to see disabled people as, first and foremost, customers”. | Adams said he wants the event to “demonstrate to retailers that there are things that can be done at no cost” and to “start some momentum for businesses to see disabled people as, first and foremost, customers”. |
| The organisation is encouraging firms to give staff training, to conduct accessibility audits in physical stores and on websites, and to appoint internal “disability champions” to raise issues in the future at board level for big firms – alongside a day of festooning stores and mannequins in the purple colour, which has become a signature of the disability rights movement. | |
| Some of the largest shopping centre owners across the UK will also participate, with Landsec’s Bluewater in Kent, Hammerson’s Bullring in Birmingham and London’s Regent Street among those taking part in events to mark the day. | Some of the largest shopping centre owners across the UK will also participate, with Landsec’s Bluewater in Kent, Hammerson’s Bullring in Birmingham and London’s Regent Street among those taking part in events to mark the day. |
| Purple Tuesday takes place in the run-up to the crucial Christmas period, when retailers are focused on raising footfall and web traffic through US-inspired events such as Black Friday and Cyber Monday. | |
| However, Purple and the companies participating are aiming for an impact beyond a single day of publicity. | However, Purple and the companies participating are aiming for an impact beyond a single day of publicity. |
| Alexander Nicoll, the corporate responsibility director at Intu, which runs centres such as the Trafford Centre in Manchester and Essex’s Lakeside, said: “Disability issues have gone up everybody’s agenda.” He hopes the event will prompt more lasting change. | |
| “Our ethos is that we shouldn’t be doing anything on Purple Tuesday that we’re not doing every other day of the year,” he said. | “Our ethos is that we shouldn’t be doing anything on Purple Tuesday that we’re not doing every other day of the year,” he said. |
| Other initiatives encouraged by the campaign include “quiet hours” in stores that aim to make shopping easier for people with autism, more easily navigable stores and better parking facilities, which could come under strain as more disabled people are attracted to the shops. | Other initiatives encouraged by the campaign include “quiet hours” in stores that aim to make shopping easier for people with autism, more easily navigable stores and better parking facilities, which could come under strain as more disabled people are attracted to the shops. |
| The campaign also aims to raise awareness of less visible disabilities. There are 11 million disabled people in the UK but fewer than one in 10 use wheelchairs, according to government figures. | The campaign also aims to raise awareness of less visible disabilities. There are 11 million disabled people in the UK but fewer than one in 10 use wheelchairs, according to government figures. |
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| Marks & Spencer | |
| J Sainsbury | |
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