Abandoned shopping carts an eyesore on the Island

Little did I know, when I began researching this benign (at first glance) of all petty crimes, that the monetary consequences can be huge – both for business owners and for the customers themselves.

USA Today reports that "a shopping cart is taken from a U.S. store every 90 seconds. That adds up to 1.8 million carts worth $175 million." We're not talking pocket change anymore!

"It's a daily occurrence for us to have 2-3 of our shopping carts leave the premises," he admits. "Usually our delivery man will spot the carts during his rounds on the Island and pick them up. He also sees IGA and Pharmaprix shopping carts, so the problem is certainly not limited to us."

Mr. Vellucci informs us that his store, located at Le Village (40, Place du Commerce), had over 200 shopping carts when he assumed his managerial duties there last year. "They dwindled down to 120 and now we have less than 85. I'm going to have to place a new order soon," he adds.

It turns out that people do all sorts of things with them, aside from the obvious: transport their purchases home, if they are lacking a car. According to a variety of articles on the internet, older people who reside in apartment buildings use the carts to transport their laundry down to the basement laundry mat facilities, while children often use them as makeshift go-carts. Of course, we've all seen homeless people use them to carry their possessions.

Most people however, use them to transport their purchases home and just never bring them back, preferring to abandon them by the side of the street or behind an alleyway, creating unsightly visual pollution.

"It comes down to being a responsible adult," explains Mr. Vellucci. "We serve over 17,000 clients a week at our Island store, so we can't keep tabs on everyone. We trust people to behave responsibly."

"Shopping carts are expensive," states the Provigo manager. "At $200 plus, a cart, our store's operational costs increase substantially and in the end consumers pay the penalty, when we are forced to increase our prices to keep up with our operating costs." It's a shame that the vast majority of people who don't contribute to this practice, also end up incurring the cost.

Cart Month was the idea of Anthony Dinolfo, a grocery store owner whose carts had turned up just about everywhere imaginable. As he watched the 1969 historic event of Neil Armstrong walking on the moon, he had an amusing thought. "I said I wouldn't be surprised if he found a shopping cart in one of its craters," Dinoldo told the Chicago Sun-Times.

L'Ile-des-Soeurs residents pride themselves on their environmental concerns and their desire to retain the Island's charming atmosphere and country feel. If that's the case, shouldn't all residents start acting responsibly and remove all these unsightly eyesores that tarnish their collective image?

If you see someone taking a cart from the store, tell them that what they're doing is illegal and morally wrong. If you see a cart abandoned, call the store and tell them where it is. They'll come and pick it up. If you feel like taking a cart from the store, think twice.