Target to Replace All 500,000 Shopping Carts With New All-Plastic Design

Target is replacing its entire fleet of approximately 500,000 shopping carts with a new all-plastic design that will roll out over the next few years. The carts mark Target’s first nationwide all-plastic model. They are designed to hold more items, roll smoother and maneuver more easily through stores.

Improved drink holders can now fit a Starbucks cup or Stanley tumbler. The redesigned child seat is meant to make it harder for kids to climb out unexpectedly. “The cart for us is the first touchpoint that the guest meets right when they walk in the store,” Sarah Deuth, Target Vice President of Store Design, told Fast Company.

The overhaul forms part of a multibillion-dollar effort to improve stores and win back shoppers. com reported that the changes address bigger shopping headaches identified in consumer research. A YouGov survey of more than 1,100 US consumers found 44% are frustrated by empty shelves and a lack of stock.

The same survey showed 35% are bothered by waiting in line. Another 31% said they were annoyed when stores failed to stock items they saw online. Thirty percent cited messy merchandising, self-checkout and a lack of knowledgeable staff as pain points.

Michael Fiddelke is the new CEO of Target. He has laid out a turnaround plan focused on sharper merchandising, better guest experience, fast technology and stronger investment in store teams and communities. Target has also dropped its diversity, equity and inclusion programs and pulled its Pride Month collection from shelves.

Retail analysts described the overall strategy as corrective rather than a dramatic reinvention. GlobalData Managing Director Neil Saunders wrote on RetailWire that “With a lot of turnarounds, there is a tendency to expect grand plans with different trajectories and bold pivots. ” TheStreet retail advisor and RTMNexus CEO Dominik Miserandino said the cart upgrade could make a difference.

“It’s all a game of vibe,” he said.