The city of Phoenix is tackling the issue of abandoned shopping carts with proposed legislation that would require larger retailers to get tech-savvy with their carts. A report by ABC15 highlighted the plan that aims to put GPS tracking devices on carts in efforts to curb their misplacement.
It's not small potatoes; over 7,800 shopping carts were collected by a city contractor from 460 retailers last year, according to details from Longform. Names like Target and Walmart, as well as WinCo, have been implicated as the worst offenders for cart abandonment. A Phoenix economic development and housing subcommittee member lamented, "My district sees a lot of this," indicating the widespread nature of the problem.
Large retail stores operating with an 50,000 square feet or more would be directly affected by the ordinance, facing a mandate to install GPS tracking or wheel-locking mechanisms on shopping carts to help mitigate the issue. Smaller retailers aren't entirely off the hook, as the ordinance also requires them to register with the city and agree to semi-annual reviews, according to ABC15.
For residents irritated by the sight of stray carts, the city has extended an arm inviting public participation. Reports of abandoned carts can funnel through the PHX 311 service or direct phone calls. Spencer Self, the Phoenix neighborhood services director, emphasized the importance of individual store registration in an interview. "What's important about that store, we need specific information about that store… including who to communicate with," Self said, as reported by Longfirm.
The Phoenix City Council may vote on a proposal in September that would require GPS tracking on shopping carts. This raises questions about how much responsibility retailers should have.
