Why US cities are cracking down on stray carts and what it really means
New York, USA, 23 February 2026 – Across cities in the United States, an unlikely problem is rolling into the spotlight: stray shopping carts. Left at bus stops, tipped over on sidewalks, or abandoned in parking lots, these carts have become a growing concern for local governments and retailers alike.
What may seem like a small nuisance has turned into an expensive issue. Cities now spend thousands of dollars each year collecting abandoned carts, cleaning public spaces, and responding to complaints from residents. In response, many municipalities are tightening rules, adding fines, and requiring retailers to invest in technology like locking wheels and GPS trackers.
A cart problem hiding in plain sight
Artist Julian Montague first noticed the scale of the issue while driving around Buffalo, New York. Shopping carts appeared everywhere, damaged, forgotten, and far from their original stores. His curiosity turned into a long-term project, resulting in a book that documents stray carts across Eastern North America.
Montague’s work challenges a common assumption. Many people believe shopping carts are mostly taken by homeless individuals. According to him, that is only a small part of the story. Carts often roll away due to poor parking lot design, lack of store monitoring, or simple neglect.
Why cities are stepping in
Local officials say abandoned carts create safety risks, block sidewalks, damage the environment, and hurt the appearance of neighborhoods. As complaints rise, so do enforcement efforts.
In Federal Way, Washington, taking a cart off store property can result in a $50 fine for individuals. Retailers are charged $25 for each cart the city retrieves. In 2025 alone, stores there paid more than $18,000 in retrieval fees.
Phoenix, Arizona, has gone even further. The city spent over $58,000 in one year to collect more than 7,800 carts. New rules require retailers to install wheel-locking systems or hire retrieval services. Repeat offenders may even be forced to add GPS trackers to their carts. Fines range from $500 to $1,000 for repeated violations.
California has also taken action. A new state law allows cities to recover cart-retrieval costs directly from businesses, shifting the financial burden away from taxpayers.
Technology enters the aisle.
To prevent carts from leaving store property, many retailers are turning to smart solutions. Wheel-locking systems can stop carts automatically when they cross a set boundary. Other stores use deposit-based systems, where customers insert a coin to unlock a cart.
While these tools reduce losses, they are not cheap. Some retailers argue it feels unfair to be fined when their property is stolen or misused. Still, cities say prevention is cheaper than constant cleanup.
Concerns for vulnerable communities
Not everyone supports the tougher rules. Critics warn that fines for individuals may disproportionately affect unhoused people who use carts to carry their belongings. In some cities, being caught with a shopping cart can lead to tickets or even misdemeanor charges.
Officials in places like Las Cruces, New Mexico, have tried a softer approach. The city organized cart return drives with no penalties and helped replace carts with luggage or rolling bags. The effort reduced stray carts while offering practical help to people in need.
Advocates say this balance matters. While theft laws already exist, they argue the real issue is a lack of housing and storage options, not shopping carts themselves.
A small object, a big debate
Stray shopping carts may seem trivial, but they sit at the crossroads of urban management, business responsibility, and social welfare. As cities look for cleaner streets and lower costs, the challenge is finding solutions that work without causing unintended harm.
For now, shopping carts remain more than just tools for groceries. They are symbols of how cities manage shared spaces and how small problems can roll into much larger conversations.
