: Australian Paralympian Col Pearse has today cut the ribbon on Woolworths' newest accessible checkout in Hurstville, Sydney - providing further opportunities for team members living with a physical disability.
Woolworths' accessible checkout design is believed to be a world-first, incorporating a range of features not used in traditional checkouts to make it suitable for team members who use a wheelchair for mobility, or have other disabilities, such as lower-body amputations, which may make it difficult for them to stand for extended periods.
The accessible checkout is designed to be used by team members with disability and features:
Adjustable height: Ensures wheelchair users can comfortably fit under the conveyor belt, and provides height adjustment for those who need to sit on a stool.
Narrower conveyor belt: Allows for easy reach to all groceries from a seated position without strain.
Rotating bag transfer: Eliminates heavy lifting by allowing team members to rotate packed bags towards the customer.
Pull drawer for receipt paper: Provides easy access for refilling.
Paralympian Swimmer Col Pearse, who won Silver at the Paris Games said: "It's awesome to see Woolworths making it easier for people with disabilities to work in a supermarket.
"I know for someone like me who has a lower-leg amputation, standing for extended periods can be painful, so this checkout has the potential to open doors to lots of different people with disabilities.
"It's also pretty cool that Woolworths has involved people with disabilities to actually design the checkout because we can help point out small things that make a big difference and help remove some of those barriers to jobs like this."
The accessible checkout was designed from scratch by Woolworths in consultation with independent specialists in inclusive design.
Woolworths team member Johnson Chen, who joined Col Pease at Woolworths Hurstville today, was part of the group to help test out the prototype design and will start working at the Hurstville store this month - made possible by the installation of the new checkout.
Johnson, who had his feedback incorporated into the final design, has worked at Woolworths' Kellyville Grove store for the last year, where the supermarkets' very first accessible checkout was piloted. Thanks to the installation of Woolworths' newest accessible checkout at the Hurstville store, Johnson is now able to transfer to the team there - nearer to where he lives.
Woolworths team member Johnson said: "I'd like to thank Woolworths for this opportunity to work there. I've loved joining the Woolworths team and working on the checkout, it's certainly made my uni holidays more productive and given me a new perspective on the workforce. I'm excited that I'll be able to spend this Christmas break working at a more local store thanks to a new accessible checkout being installed here.
"The accessible register is very convenient - it has gone through multiple tests not just by me, but with many other wheelchair users. In particular, I like how the register is height adjustable to suit the many types of wheelchair heights, which also can be adjusted to the height of a standing person to work at the register."
Rob McCartney, Managing Director of Woolworths 360 said: "We strongly believe that our team should represent the diverse community they serve, and the onus is on us to create more accessible jobs.
"Unfortunately, there have traditionally been practical barriers for people who use wheelchairs or have other physical disabilities to work in many retail spaces, however we're working to change that with these new accessible checkouts, and we'll continue to look for opportunities to make them available in other stores."
The innovative checkout design is wider than a regular checkout and typically requires all the other checkouts in a store to be repositioned and reinstalled to accommodate the additional space needed. The process to accommodate the new accessible checkout at Woolworths' Hurstville store was made possible by scheduled renovations taking place to refresh the store, which were completed this week.
The renewal of Woolworths Hurstville also includes a revamped front entrance, new flooring, electronic shelf labels and an extended dairy selection. The store has also increased its international foods section, based on customer feedback, with the area dedicated to Asian foods almost doubling in size.
Another highlight of the renewal is the implementation of Woolworths' recycled trolleys, which are available in select stores and feature a trolley basket made from 100 per cent recycled plastic from used milk bottles.
