At Blind Ambition Recruitment, we believe accessibility is not an optional extra. It is a fundamental part of good customer service, inclusive culture and modern society — and it is closely linked to how organisations treat disabled people more broadly, including as employees.
We are proud to share that Blind Ambition has collaborated with The Grocer magazine on an in-depth investigation examining how welcoming and accessible major UK supermarkets are for blind and partially sighted people.
As part of this collaboration, Blind Ambition arranged for a group of trained mystery shoppers who are blind or partially sighted to visit a range of well-known UK supermarkets. Their role was to experience stores exactly as customers do and to assess how accessible, supportive and inclusive those environments are in practice — not just in written policies.
While this research focused on shopping, the findings have direct relevance for employers. How organisations respond to disabled customers often mirrors how prepared they are to support disabled colleagues.
Accessibility is a legal duty – and a foundation for independence
Under the Equality Act 2010, retailers — and employers — have a legal obligation to make reasonable adjustments to ensure disabled people are not placed at a substantial disadvantage.
For blind and partially sighted people in supermarkets, reasonable adjustments can include:
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Proactively offering assistance when someone enters the store
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Providing a member of staff to guide someone around the supermarket
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Helping customers locate items, read labels or understand offers
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Ensuring customer service desks are easy to find and responsive
In the best examples observed by our mystery shoppers, these adjustments enabled people to shop independently, confidently and with dignity.
That same principle applies in the workplace. When reasonable adjustments are anticipated and embedded, blind and partially sighted people can participate fully, contribute their skills and work independently rather than constantly having to ask for help.
What Blind Ambition’s mystery shoppers experienced
Our mystery shoppers assessed the lived reality on the shop floor, not just formal procedures. Several clear themes emerged:
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Staff awareness and confidence are critical – a simple, respectful offer of help can transform an experience
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Inconsistency remains a major challenge – accessibility often varies widely between stores within the same supermarket group
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Good practice already exists – showing that accessibility is achievable when inclusion is taken seriously
These themes closely mirror what blind and partially sighted people tell us about employment. Inclusion often depends not on policy, but on training, confidence and leadership expectations.
The full supermarket-by-supermarket findings are explored in detail in The Grocer articles linked below.
Lived experience matters
Blind Ambition’s Founder, Seema Flower, brings lived experience of navigating supermarkets — and workplaces — as a blind person. Reflecting on these findings, she highlights that accessibility failures are rarely about complexity.
“Accessibility is about independence. When organisations get it right, blind and partially sighted people can shop, work and live with confidence and dignity. When they get it wrong, people are made to feel like a burden for simply wanting to take part in everyday life.”
This is why accessibility cannot rely on goodwill or chance. It requires training, consistency and leadership commitment — in customer service and in employment.
Beyond mystery shopping: everyday experiences
Alongside this formal research, Blind Ambition continues to hear from blind and partially sighted people about their everyday experiences in supermarkets and workplaces.
One blind shopper described repeated failed attempts to arrange support in advance of visiting a supermarket. When attending in person, they were left waiting at customer services, with staff unsure how to assist them. The experience left them feeling stressed, humiliated and treated as an inconvenience rather than a valued customer.
As they put it:
“It should not be a big deal to want to shop for my own groceries, but I was made to feel like a burden.”
Stories like this are not about blaming individuals. They highlight systemic issues around training, confidence and consistency — the same barriers that contribute to the persistently high unemployment rate among blind and partially sighted people.
Why this matters for inclusive recruitment
Blind and partially sighted people are customers, professionals, parents and leaders. When organisations get accessibility right, they do more than meet legal duties — they demonstrate values, build trust and create environments where disabled people can thrive.
For employers, this matters. Accessible customer environments often reflect accessible workplace cultures. Organisations that invest in disability confidence are better placed to recruit, retain and develop disabled talent.
How Blind Ambition Recruitment can help
Blind Ambition Recruitment works with employers to turn insight into action. We support organisations to:
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Build disability confidence among hiring managers and teams
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Understand real-world barriers faced by blind and partially sighted candidates
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Embed accessibility into recruitment, onboarding and day-to-day work
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Attract and retain talented blind and partially sighted professionals
Our wider work spans retail, professional services, healthcare, infrastructure and public sector organisations. Whether through lived-experience insight, training or inclusive recruitment support, we help organisations move from intention to impact.
If you would like to discuss how Blind Ambition Recruitment can support your organisation to become more inclusive and accessible, please get in touch.
Related reading (The Grocer)
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How supermarkets are failing blind and visually impaired shoppers
https://www.thegrocer.co.uk/analysis-and-features/how-supermarkets-are-failing-blind-and-visually-impaired-shoppers/714976.article -
“Appalling”: Asda staff belittled blind mystery shopper
https://www.thegrocer.co.uk/news/appalling-asda-staff-belittled-blind-mystery-shopper/714902.article
