Imagine walking into a grocery store for a few essentials -- some staples for dinner, your go-to snacks, or those sodas you love. You meander in, cane sweeping side to side, hearing voices, carts clattering, and announcements overhead.

As someone who is totally Blind, you can't shop without help. Finally, an employee directs you to the customer service line. After waiting in a long line, you're told that they'll "try" to find you some help. You hear the employees toss around ideas about whose responsibility it is to solve the problem of the blind shopper. Finally, after over 30 minutes after arriving in the store, a young voice appears and asks you what you're looking for. He seems to struggle socially and has obviously never met a blind person. He stumbles reading labels and understanding the sales and deals. You're not finished shopping, but he tells you "I hope that helps," and he vanishes.

You feel your way around the checkout because only the center button of the keypad has braille. You aren't quite sure if your card was charged the right amount, because the card reader doesn’t read to you. You find your way out of the store with some items you came for, but also with something you didn't come for - a cloud of disrespect hovering over your head. 

This is a typical shipping experience for a blind person. 

We, the blind/low vision community and allies in Portland, Oregon and beyond, are raising awareness of shopping while blind. Seven of us gathered in May of 2025 and shared our experiences. Everything - from signage, to labels, to the checkout, is setup visually. We waste precious time navigating stores, overspend for items, and are often treated as a burden.

An accessible grocery store would have braille labels, tactile floor markings throughout, and audio displays. However, the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) only legally require the bare minimum. With financial profit as their main goal, grocery stores are not setup for people who are blind to shop independently. 

We are asking grocery stores to commit to one simple change:
Ensure that at any time, a competent and respectful Shopping Assistant is available to shop with Blind consumer - with no time constraints, and most importantly, with respect, dignity, and care.

Some stores already lead the way - thank you Trader Joe's and New Seasons! But Safeway, Fred Meyer, and others? There is work to do! 

We will be auditing Portland grocery stores in spring of 2025 to assess their treatment of consumers who are Blind. Our results will be shared with our community of consumers. We call on these companies to act now — to train their teams, build respectful systems, and ensure every shopper is valued. 

Please sign this petition for equal access for in-person shoppers who are Blind.