Sales Assistant for People with Vision Impairments

Shopping for groceries is a matter of course for us. But what must it be like for the persons with vision impairments or low vision? They can enter the store alone, but it is much more difficult for them to orientate and select products, not to mention access information about prices and product consistency. That is why a unique Sales Assistant project was created. It helps the visually-disadvantaged community shop in the BILLA supermarket chain.

Ružomberok, Nitra, Levoča, and Banská Bystrica

The concept of helping people with vision impairments and low vision, which was created in 2016 in cooperation with the Union of People with Vision Impairment of Slovakia, now helps in four towns in Slovakia. The essence of the Sales Assistant service is to make shopping easier for people with vision impairments. A customer with vision disadvantages will be assisted by a specially trained employee from the moment of entering the store, through the selection of groceries and orientation between the shelves, to packing the purchase at the checkout and taking it out to the street. As part of their training, Billa employees have the opportunity to experience first-hand what it is like to shop in complete darkness, only accompanied by a colleague. Then, they exchange roles.

Anyone can help persons with vision impairments with their purchases

An educational video helps the employees as well as the general public by showing them how to communicate with persons with vision impairment or low vision.