In order to keep carts on supermarket grounds, they are chained together. To use one, you need to insert a 10NT coin (a coin about the size of a quarter worth about 33 US cents) into the gray device and then the red part of the chain unlocks and lets you pull the cart away.
When you are done using the shopping cart, you can return it to any location that has another "red handle device." Once you plug the red thing back into the gray thing, your money is returned to you.
I suppose this also helps to discourage shopping carts from being left abandoned throughout the parking lot.
I wish they'd do something like this in the States. Navigating the parking lot is difficult with so many buggies left about.
ReplyDeleteThere is one chain of stores that does this in the states... Aldi. You insert a quarter to get your buggy and get your quarter back when you are done. They say they do this so that they can hire less workers and thereby charge less for groceries. They also don't give you bags, you bring your own or take it home bagless.
ReplyDeleteI've seen these in the US, but just in Aldi's. http://www.aldifoods.com. I wish the superstores in the US would do something like this to help prevent the mess of shopping carts in parkinglots.
ReplyDeleteAmanda, thanks so much for doing this series. I'm really interested!
They have the same system in the UK, when we moved to the US I was a bit taken aback by all the shopping trollies just abandoned over the car park. Now when I visit home I have to remember to have the right coins ready!
ReplyDeleteFunny. They do have these in the US, and everybody seems interested in them, but they are only available at the cheaper stores (and trust me, I shop those cheap stores!). I saw a lot of Aldi stores further south with them, and Price Rite does this in New England.
ReplyDeleteFunny, the first time I went to a store with this type of cart, my first thought was, "What? I have to pay for my cart?!" I didn't know you got the quarter back.
I am also known for not having a quarter when I go to the store. Fortunately, I almost always have a stroller and a bunch of kids to help carry stuff!! Sometimes you even find a stray cart in the parking lot! I eventually learned to just keep a quarter in the van all the time!
Thanks for sharing about Taiwan and your experiences there. I am thoroughly enjoying it!!
Yes, I've seen these at a BJ's Warehouse Club in Maryland. Not a bad idea, I guess, except when you don't have a quarter on you!
ReplyDeleteWe have those in Finland too. And of course the coin slot isn't the same size or shape in every store! Some stores accept 20 cents, one takes only a euro. It's annoying! So for the euro-shop I keep one coin in the car clove compartment (because otherwise I'd never have a coin for a cart!). For the other shops I have a special "cart key" attached to my car key, so it's always with me when I go shopping and there's no need to have coins in my purse :)
ReplyDeleteThey're in Israel, too! The coin of choice is a 5 shekel piece.
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