LTB 536/18 – Purple Tuesday – The Retail Experience should be Purple Tuesday Every Day

To:      All Branches

Dear Colleague

Purple Tuesday – The Retail Experience should be Purple Tuesday Every Day

If you are not a disabled person, going shopping is for most, an everyday experience that is absolutely taken for granted. However, put yourself in the shoes of a disabled person, someone who is unable for mobility or other health reasons is unable to do this; you enter a world of disadvantage and discrimination. A lot of shops pay scant regard to a disabled person needs.  On Tuesday 13th November 2018 the first ‘Purple Tuesday’ will be launched. Its aim is simple – to encourage retailers to embrace accessibility and inclusivity (as put by SCOPE). So far, big retail names such as ASDA, M&S and Sainsbury’s have committed to signing up to this initiative.

The CWU believes it is past time that more respect is shown towards disabled shoppers. We agree with disability organisations when they say that every day should be a ‘Purple Tuesday’. There is no excuse for today’s retailers to treat disabled people in a way which leaves them feeling isolated, humiliated and degraded. Besides, there is clear economic sense to be disability-friendly. The Purple Pound as it is known is worth a cool £250 billion a year to retailers.

The CWU is encouraging both our DAC and Regional Equality Committees to work to promote Purple Tuesday a much as possible. We will be liaising with Coms to get a poster done that can be used by you. In addition to raising awareness of this in various workplaces this is a good opportunity for some coordinated work to be done to engage various MPs asking them to build on Purple Tuesday so that the concept of a more inclusive and accessible shopping experience is not just a one-day token calendar event. We should lobby so this becomes the norm and the disabled community can shop with dignity and respect, just like the rest of us.

Any enquiries on the content of this LTB should be addressed to dnoel@cwu.orgin the Equal Opportunities Department.

Yours sincerely

Dave Ward
General Secretary

LTB 536 – Purple Tuesday – The Retail Experience should be Purple Tuesday Every Day