GUEST POST from Don – Shopping Carts

SHOPPING CARTS

I’ve a bit of concern about shopping cart etiquette.  Having been a business owner I know the value of maintaining quality equipment.  I took care of my tools and experienced over a decade of use with one daily-used hand sprayer.  Techs couldn’t seem to keep theirs functioning longer than 2 years.  An average well-cared for shopping cart can last 6 years.  Hopefully you know what a wire-basket on wheels looks like.

I read an article “Why Don’t People Return Their Shopping Carts?” and it was MISSING several whole categories of reasons people fail to return carts to the corrals.  It also lacked any common-sense solutions to the problem.

Let’s start with the price of groceries.  Overhead is always included in any business model, including the cost of groceries by the way.  The grocer has to overcome overhead before he makes any money for his own family.  A grocery cart (according to HowMuchIsIt.org) costs the store up to $200 each.  Stolen or damaged carts make the price of groceries go up.  Therefore, seeing someone walking away with a cart with no intention of returning it should anger us.  Perhaps enough to call the police?  I dunno.  But that’s money which eventually is going to come out of my pocket with the price of butter.  It is also my money if an employee has to waste 15 minutes collecting stray carts several times a day.  His paycheck comes out of my purchases.

There are legitimate reasons carts don’t always get returned to the cart corral.  The person is handicapped, the weather is bitter cold, the shopper has very young children with him or her (safety issue).  I get those.  They don’t bother me at all.  In fact, I have been looking for opportunities to help such people return their carts.  At Aldi I carry an extra quarter in my pocket to exchange for a cart when the woman (or man) has toddlers with her (or him).  I’m retired and not in a hurry.  I do the same for older folk.  Youthful people can return the cart for themselves (Being retired does not make me a slave).

Then there are those who are selfish or “privileged.”  The weather is pleasant, the corral is not far, but these people “can’t be bothered.”  The author of the article misidentified these people.  She said they have a “perception that it is some one else’s job.”  That’s overly optimistic to the point of absurdity.  Why would anyone have that “perception?”  Did someone tell him that?  Did she not give it any thought?  Has no one trained him otherwise and did he not see the SIGN on the corral “Return carts Here?”  No, it isn’t a “perception” at all.  It is pure selfishness, “privilege,” or narcissism.  These individuals are refusing to follow the socially acceptable path;  doing what he or she wants to do, not a “perception” of the right path.  If a person won’t return a cart, perhaps that person doesn’t care about paying for groceries either.  If so, grocers might do well to pay more attention to non-returners.

The author suggests one more reason, which also seems like a very long stretch … “They’re leaving the carts for someone else to easily pick up and use.”  No.  I’ve done that BY taking the cart back into the store and putting it where people pick up carts, not by leaving carts randomly in the parking lot.  Some people pick up a cart at the cart corral, but almost no one LOOKS for a randomly abandoned cart somewhere in the outer reaches of striped line heaven.  We were at a warehouse club one beautiful day and there was a cart hanging out at the edge of the lot.  I thought, “Why not!”  But when I got to the cart I found out that the USER had not just left a cart, he or she had also emptied the trash from his or her car into it.  Nope!  That person was merely narcissistic.

Are there other legitimate reasons to abandon a cart?  Sure.  The author did not write a thoughtful list.  Hurry is one.  If you don’t have time TODAY you might, I guess.  The shopper may have a conflicting schedule: “Should I return this cart and be late to pick up my child at school?”  That’s a one-off.

Forgetfulness is another.  I’ve been forgetful before, like in second grade I forgot it was lunchtime and got my stuff together to head home, thinking it was the end of the day (and missed my lunch).  Obviously I’ve never thought about it again.

Fear, of course.  Sometimes parking lots can be spooky.  If you feel you are being watched, you might just leave.  Safety is more important than returning a cart.  Your cellphone is not a personal protection device.

You obviously like your grocery store or you wouldn’t shop there.  So you have at least one reason to want others to treat your favorite store’s carts appropriately.  

SOLUTIONS:

The author gave none.  So, let’s explore this together.

First, always return YOUR cart (unless you can’t).  Set an example for those whose “perceptions” are misaligned.

Second, help those who need help.  How would it harm you if you saw an elderly man abandon a cart and you returned it for him?

Third, report those who walk away with a cart.  Snap a photo.  Show it to the shopkeeper if you want.  The grocer may do nothing, but that’s your money walking away.

Fourth, (I know that in today’s real world it is unsafe to confront anyone!!!) Obviously, if it is safe you can change the offender’s “perception” by returning her cart while she can still see you.  Or just snap a picture of the offender and his license plate.  The offender won’t care, but you’ve just given him a different “perception.”

Fifth, I pay attention and avoid stores where carts are left everywhere.  I also do not park in a parking lot that has lots of trash.  Umm!  What “class” of shoppers use this store, people who respect others or those who don’t?  I think of my own safety and go somewhere else.  

Finally, tell your friends about your “perception” of cart abandoners.  Let’s make it clear that it is not appropriate for able bodied individuals who are not shopping with small children in tow.  Your friends may disagree with you, but will think about what you said the next time they go shopping.  

Proper cart etiquette benefits everyone.

Copyright 2025 Donald Whelpley

[PLEASE NOTE that Don is always open to discussing the thoughts and opinions he shares here and welcomes comments as shared in the comment section. He doesn’t use other social media platforms and won’t see whatever you’d like to share with him if you post it elsewhere.
ALSO, Don is always open to offer his thoughts on various topics. If you have a specific request, you can let him know in a comment; he reads – and replies to – them all. ~ Sherry]

See more GUEST POSTS from Don!