Healthy retail: hints and tips on accessibility is one of a series of five ILC guides created to help retailers understand the barriers older people may face when shopping. They also explain why it makes commercial sense for retailers to focus on inclusivity, to welcome a wider range of customers, and to re-discover and welcome forgotten ones.

Everyone’s entitled to a healthy, happy and long life – but the ageing process affects us all differently. Retailers have a key role to play in helping customers and staff live healthier, more active lives. Making shopping environments more accessible supports independence, helps us stay fit, and ensures that people who have a health condition, disability or caring responsibility can maintain access to the products and services they want.

This guide provides the basics on why it’s important to make shops accessible, and how both retailers and customers can benefit. It also suggests ways to minimise the current barriers faced by customers with helpful real-life examples and signposts to further information.

The ILC is creating this series of five guides to help transform the way the retail sector sees and serves older consumers. We believe that encouraging inclusive shopping spaces is better for everyone, no matter our age or ability.