A supermarket in my neighborhood, Giant Eagle, has two types of shopping carts; the normal long basket, and a tall, upright cart with two shelves on it. You use a normal cart for shopping, but after you purchase your groceries, the bagger transfers everything to one of the tall, upright carts, which you’re supposed to use to take everything back to your car.
I hate these upright carts – the rear axle is placed where it hits your foot or the bottom of your shin unless you’re very, very careful when you push it. I have never seen another grocery store use this two-cart system; only the Giant Eagle in Legacy Village outside of Cleveland. What I’m wondering, though, is “what’s the point?” Why have these special, awkward carts to take your bagged groceries out to your car? Why not just use your normal shopping cart to take your purchased products to your car? Are there any other stores that use this dual-cart system?
I wouldn’t be suprised that carts are awkward on purpose, so they they won’t be as desirable to steal.
I saw the opposite in Germany, small sopping carts similar to the smallest carts I have seen in the US and even smaller ones, about half the size of those. They looked like childrens play toys but with a tall pole and flag. I saw adults using them in the Tenglemann store as one would use a hand carry basket in the US.
The theft prevention thoory crossed my mind, too. Thing is, the supermarket is located in an upper middle class neighborhood. There’s also no residential areas within walking distance of the store, except for a cluster of high-rise apartment buildings on top of a hill, and some nursing homes for little old Jewish ladies.
Given the location of Legacy Village, my guess is that the carts are somehow easier to unload with luxury SUVs :rolleyes:
I was just at that Giant Eagle last month and did not notice the new carts, I’ll have to pay closer attention next time. I wonder if there is a photo online?
Around here, some stores had them for heavy goods, such as water-softener salt. They weren’t used for anything else. Now, the stores keep the salt outside, and customers load it directly into the car. I haven’t seen a “monster cart” for a few years.
I shop at that Giant Eagle regularly, always get my stuff to the car myself, and have never used one of the vertical carts. The only advantage I can see is that they take up less space when people leave them in the parking lot. And it looks like they should be pulled, not pushed.
But I really like the regular carts. They’re black, they have an extra shelf at the front end, they always work right, and they even have cup holders.