Morrisons, the UK’s biggest supermarket chain, has added another rule to its list of online shopping tips: a new toilet rule that will be implemented in all places and will mean all over the country that the supermarket chain will be the first major supermarket in the country to have sanitary bins in men’s toilets across the country. This move will affect approximately 500 shops around the UK, and is a major contribution towards enhancing the lives and dignity of men living with incontinence.
The supermarket’s choice is part of a larger initiative to assist shoppers with health issues, especially men who are subjected to prostate cancer treatment and end up with urinary incontinence. Guidance drawn up as part of ‘The Bog Standard’ project by phs Group and Prostate Cancer UK states that a proper disposal facility should be in every man’s toilet, but these are lacking in many public buildings. Now, Morrisons has made sure all its stores are up to scratch with those standards.
Some men have been dissuaded from everyday activities such as shopping due to the lack of sanitary disposal options in male toilets, health experts have said.
One of the studies associated with the project revealed that there is a significant number of men with incontinence who are taking fewer outings because of insufficient toilet facilities. With the sanitary bins being added to men’s toilets, Morrisons will aim to make their stores more accessible and welcoming for those affected.
The retailer has taken many of the suggestions customers have given us into account,” said a Morrisons spokesperson. “We have seen first-hand the struggle of many men with incontinence problems. A better-designed shop throughout its outlets is a key consideration in making it more comfortable and more confident for people to shop when they are not at home, the company said.
The supermarket has also recently opened stoma-friendly toilets in accessible bathrooms in its stores in England, Scotland and Wales. Practical features such as shelves, hooks, mirrors, and even having a discreet place to dispose of the stoma bag, all designed to help people who have a stoma. These toilet modifications follow the previous toilet modifications, which were focused on accessibility.
The announcement has been well-received by the public, with many customers commending the retailer for addressing an issue that is rarely discussed in the public sphere. Supporters said the step was considered and long overdue, and campaigners hope other big supermarket groups will follow suit in the future.
Meanwhile, as discussions about accessibility and how accessible public places are continued, the latest iteration of the Morrisons toilet rule may signal that the whole of the UK retail sector could be in the midst of a major change – at least for customers with hidden health conditions who are struggling with accessibility.
