Sephora rolling out designated ‘quiet hours’ to its stores across the globe
Sephora is launching a new initiative that aims to give its customers a more peaceful shopping and low-sensory environment.
In what's called a first for a global beauty retailer, the company is rolling out “Quiet Hours” across its entire store footprint, which spans more than 35 countries and regions. At specified times, Sephora stores will turn down the music and adjust screens to create a calmer atmosphere with fewer distractions.
The rollout follows an initial pilot that included 32 stores across eight markets. Sephora said the pilot has proven highly successful, with most of its neurodivergent shoppers saying Quiet Hours significantly improves their experience and 90% of clients thinking it makes Sephora stores more inclusive and welcoming for all.
The initiative has also been embraced by Sephora’s beauty advisors who appreciate having a quieter moment in their day, the company said.
“With Quiet Hours at Sephora, we provide a beautifully calm atmosphere where clients feel welcome, allowing them to shop at their own pace, find and purchase the products they love," said Deborah Yeh, global chief marketing officer at Sephora. “Quiet Hours at Sephora is one meaningful step in our ongoing commitment to building more welcoming environments for our employees, consumers, and communities — and we know there is still much more to learn and do.”
In late 2023, Walmart introduced sensory-friendly hours at all of its U.S. and Puerto Rico locations following a successful test program. It later expanded the initiative to its stores in Canada.
[READ MORE: Walmart to offer permanant sensory-free shopping hours]
The new Sephora initiative was shaped by listening to the neurodiversity community, including experts such as Open Inclusion and Purposeful Futures, as well as internal employe resource groups. It’s a powerful example of how small, but important adjustments such as lowering the music volume and minimizing strong scents can impact people seeking a calmer shopping experience, noted Sephora.
“What began as a response to the needs of neurodivergent beauty fans across the world became a much bigger opportunity: to reimagine what the experience can be for many who find retail physical environments challenging,” said Chloe Matharu of Purposeful Futures. “By becoming the first global beauty retailer to introduce Quiet Hours, Sephora is setting a new standard for the industry, and proving that some of the most powerful innovations are those designed for inclusion."
