How Well Do People Where You Shop Return Their Shopping Carts?

[Admiral Yi]

Bodega hijack!

A work around is credit card only cart stands.

Or pass a law forbidding the manufacture of slugs.

[viper37]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3brJ2WSBpQs

I've seen this video before on shopping cart return as a simple measure of social capital.

I see maybe one stray a month.  How is it where you shop?

I've never seen a stray shopping cart in the parking.  Inside the grocery store, the employees make sure there is no stray cart, as soon as you pur your cart aside while you pay, someone will pick it up if you don't leave with it.

It seems to be an American thing, not returning your cart.

[Barrister]

So here's my theory...

As a kid it seemed to me people would just leave their shopping carts wherever in the parking lot.  It's no big deal - it's someone's job to go and collect the carts after all.

Then by I think the early 90s they started bringing in those coin dealies that have been discussed - insert a coin to get the cart.  Those were suddenly everywhere.  I think this now trained a whole generation of shoppers that you need to return your cart.

Now, in the last 10 years, they've gone and removed the coin dealies.  Perhaps it's as we've gone more cashless.  But I think the habit is now ingrained and people do almost entirely return their carts.


There's a whole side-issue as well - homeless people find shopping carts very useful to keep their stuff.  They are mostly the cause of shopping carts being abandoned all hither and yon, and not just in the far corner of the parking lot.

[viper37]

So here's my theory...

As a kid it seemed to me people would just leave their shopping carts wherever in the parking lot.  It's no big deal - it's someone's job to go and collect the carts after all.

Then by I think the early 90s they started bringing in those coin dealies that have been discussed - insert a coin to get the cart.  Those were suddenly everywhere.  I think this now trained a whole generation of shoppers that you need to return your cart.

Now, in the last 10 years, they've gone and removed the coin dealies.  Perhaps it's as we've gone more cashless.  But I think the habit is now ingrained and people do almost entirely return their carts.


There's a whole side-issue as well - homeless people find shopping carts very useful to keep their stuff.  They are mostly the cause of shopping carts being abandoned all hither and yon, and not just in the far corner of the parking lot.

I never saw coin dealies here or in any grocery store I can remember going to in Quebec.  Not sure about Costco, but I don't think so either.

[Grey Fox]

Only 1 chain had coin locking their shopping cart here (Maxi) but the pandemic killed that it hasn't returned afaik.

Near universal return of shopping carts. Only the Walmart has carts with distance locks.

(I live in a suburb of 450k the size of Salt Lake city, I don't frequent all stores)

[Admiral Yi]

It seems to be an American thing, not returning your cart.

Not according to the documentary Trailer Park Boys.

[Jacob]

It seems to be an American thing, not returning your cart.

Not according to the documentary Trailer Park Boys.

[MadImmortalMan]

I park next to the cart return. Less walking, then I put the cart away.

[mongers]

Since I there are 4 supermarkets within 800 yards of here, I see quite a few abandoned in the lanes or fields hereabouts, sometimes thrown in the river, so I tell them where to come and collect it from.

[viper37]

It seems to be an American thing, not returning your cart.

Not according to the documentary Trailer Park Boys.

Ok, it's an Anglo-Saxon thing then

[viper37]

It seems some people are very good at returning their shopping cars, at least.