What are retailers doing about the Purple Pound?

In many ways, the pandemic has made shopping even more challenging for people with a disability. New store layouts and queues to get in and around stores can be problematic, and there is more competition for essential items and delivery slots online.

This year’s Purple Tuesday (on 3 November) is an opportunity for retailers and brands to consider the full impact of the pandemic on disabled customers and to make sure they are doing enough to support them.

As well as the social incentives, the charity Purple estimates that the Purple Pound – the collective spending power of the UK’s 12 million disabled people and their families – is worth around £274 billion and rising 14% every year.

Visit TLT’s Purple Pound hub for videos and articles including:

• An introduction to the topic
• An exclusive interview with GB Para-archer and disability inclusivity champion Chloe Ball-Hopkins about her experiences as a wheelchair user and short- and long-term solutions for retailers to consider
• Chloe’s TED Talk on ‘Why isn’t fashion inclusive of disabled people?’
• A look at the permissions that might be needed to make alterations in-store

Further insights will be published in the coming weeks.