Join the Campaign to Ban Piped Music
Piped music drives most people crazy, and it can be everywhere from shops to supermarkets, and even in hotel lobbies and shopping centres. It’s not ‘optional’, so people have to put up with it, or leave.
Many people with hearing loss actually find it painful, and also it makes it difficult for them to hear what people are saying.
The Equality Act 2010 means that supermarkets that blast music into the ears of people with hearing loss, are actually breaking the law. This affects 15% of the UK population.
Co-op supermarkets are particularly bad, with blaring rock music, just for older people who wish to pop in for a loaf of bread.
I have left shops – unable to purchase the object of my desire. Because of hellish piped music. Joanna Lumley
Pipedown is the charity campaigning to ban piped music from stores (with some success). It’s also campaigning against leaf-blowers (often two hours of operation can hit 90 decibels and cause permanent hearing loss, even to neighbours).
Leaf blowers also are very polluting to humans, pets and wildlife.
Why Piped Music Needs Banning
As well as stopping people having the option of peace and quiet, it causes hearing problems, physical pain in people with hearing loss, and mental health issues.
But constant exposure to loud noise can increase stress hormones, and even raise blood pressure. It also causes migraines, insomnia and heart problems, and makes life uncomfortable for people with tinnitus (ringing in the ears).
Piped Music Harms Patients and Carers
In hospitals, piped music is hellish for people who can’t get away from it. Hospitals and care homes are meant to be places of healing. If people want music, they can listen to hospital radio. But not giving an option when people need to sleep and rest, is not good.
It’s even been found that people with anorexia find it hard to eat food, surrounded by loud noise. Any kind of addiction recovery is more difficult, away from a calm, supportive environment.
Dr David Oliver writes in British Medical Journal that noise pollution in hospitals is now at an alarming rate. Nonstop noise meals it takes longer for patients to heal. This causes more bed-blocking, so costs the NHS more money.
It would be far better to create quiet wards with ‘healing spaces’ for patients to recover, with peaceful surroundings and quiet.
Why Do Supermarkets Play Loud Music?
It’s believed that shops do it, literally due to research showing that certain beats of music (like bright colours) makes people stressed, so they buy more.
Think about McDonald’s, that paints its shops bright yellow and red. Or pubs that play loud music to encourage ‘vertical drinking (too loud to have a conversation, so punters just drink more, while standing up).
A few years back, Marks and Spencer trialled piped music in its stores. It got such negative reaction, that it at least listened to customers, and removed it. And have never brought it back.
Something interesting here: A study at University of South Florida found that loud fast music led to customers buying unhealthy foods (like fast food, red meat etc). While quiet (or no) music led to healthier food choices. Now we see perhaps why the supermarkets have loud music?
There are no special offers on broccoli. Real food campaigner Michael Pollan writes that supermarkets are there for profit (not your health).
Which is why there are only around two aisles of fresh fruit, and the rest is full of higher-profit processed food. So they need you to buy more of that, and less broccoli!
Supermarkets need to be more than just offer ‘quiet hours’ (often when people don’t have the time to shop), which are free from music and annoying tannoy announcements. Other things done are turning down lighting, reducing movement of trolleys and turning checkout beeps off.
If supermarkets can do this the rest of the time, why can’t they do it all the time? Other shops (like Aldi, Waitrose and John Lewis) manage to, so why can’t the others?
Budget supermarket Aldi never plays piped music, mostly to save on licensing fees, so it can pass the savings of cheaper food onto its customers.
Contact Businesses and Councils
Sometimes, those in charge just need a nudge to see that silence matters. Writing to businesses, hospitals, or your local council can spark action. Don’t worry about the right words—just be clear and polite. Below are letter and email templates you can use or adapt.
Retailer or Shop Letter Template:
Dear Manager,
I am a regular customer and value your shop. However, I find the piped music makes shopping stressful. Could you consider a music-free hour, or turn it off entirely? Many would welcome a quieter environment.
Thank you,
[Your Name]
Hospital or Healthcare Centre Template:
Dear [Hospital Name] Team,
I’d like to ask if your hospital could reduce or remove background music in waiting areas. Many patients and visitors struggle with extra noise when they are already unwell or anxious.
Thank you for helping to create a peaceful space for everyone.
[Your Name]
Local Authority Template:
Dear [Council Name],
I am writing to request support for more music-free zones in public spaces. Cutting down on background music will help residents feel calmer and more included, especially those sensitive to noise. Please consider backing this initiative in community centres, libraries, and other venues.
Yours sincerely,
[Your Name]
An App to Help You Find Quiet Places
SoundPrint is an app that lets you find quiet places. Created by a New Yorker with hearing loss (who could not hear what his dates were saying, when they met up), he began to share his list of Quiet Corners with others, and now it’s used worldwide to find ‘thumbs-up’ places where you can hear yourself think.
Places recommended can still have (low) music but don’t have espresso machines that stop you talking, nor noise levels that give you a headache.
You can use the app to measure the decibel level of where you’re visiting, then post your reviews online for a public database to compare.
Decibel levels at London restaurants can be so high, that you might as well be eating your dinner next to a bin lorry. Pipedown
