Accessibility of grocery shops for people with disabilities is key to their equality and independence. However, Slovenian legislation lacks clear guidelines on how to ensure such accessibility, and the Law on Equalisation of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities (LOPD) dictates that by the end of 2025, grocery stores must also be universally accessible. The Urban Institute of the Republic of Slovenia has therefore developed recommendations for the physical accessibility of grocery stores in cooperation with students with disabilities.
 

Contrast markings on glass surfaces are crucial for safety and accessibility, as they allow visually impaired people to be detected in time and prevent collisions. Minimalist aesthetic markings such as logos and subtle patterns often do not provide sufficient contrast, so it is essential to comply with standards for visual perception.

Hearing inductive loops and other systems such as FM and Bluetooth make sound more accessible to people with hearing impairments by reducing noise and improving speech intelligibility. These systems should be provided in public spaces such as reception desks, meeting rooms and auditoriums.

To make it easy for blind and partially sighted people to access and use a public facility, it is essential to ensure that the route from the entrance to the reception desk is as short and easy as possible. If the counter is not directly at the entrance, the route can be marked in a very simple way.

By 11 December 2025, all public buildings must be accessible to people with disabilities, but a lack of data on current accessibility and ignorance of the law threaten the timely implementation of the necessary adaptations.

On 14 October 2024, the National Council held a consultation on mobility and web accessibility for people with disabilities and the elderly, where a plan for a single national platform "The Story of Five Spaces" was presented. The platform, funded by the Ministry of Environment, Climate and Energy, will bring together data on accessibility of indoor spaces, the outdoor built environment, online content, on-call transport and home exercise technologies. The aim is to improve quality of life by providing better access to services and information. The event highlighted the importance of including people with disabilities and older people in society and the need for accessible infrastructure for all.
 

The Urban Institute of the Republic of Slovenia (UIRS) focuses on research, awareness-raising and the development of solutions to improve the accessibility of public spaces and buildings. It participates in the preparation of manuals, the organisation of workshops and in national and international projects promoting universal design. UIRS analyses existing accessibility of buildings, proposes improvements and develops digital platforms for collecting accessibility data. Their work brings together science, practice and legislation, with the aim of creating an inclusive society for all citizens.