The Grocery Cart Issue At Maxi: Part 2
In a recent article (see here), we looked at the implementation by Maxi of a cart deposit system aimed at avoiding cart’s theft and dispersal, a real scourge according to the Montreal Police Department.
Indeed, it is not uncommon to encounter flyer delivery persons who use such carts that have most probably been “borrowed” instead of bought (see below photo).
But while some use them for precise tasks, others simply sell them to the metal recycler for a meager profit.
Maxi is the only supermarket in Quebec that, to our knowledge, takes the bull by the horns and equips its stores with a grocery cart deposit system. This system appears to be more common in other parts of Canada and the United States.
A recent visit to the Lachine Maxi has allowed us a closer look on the extent of the problem that seems to affect this supermarket banner more than the others.
Indeed, an IGA Extra supermarket is close by, but you seldom see their carts hanging around in the street … is it more vigilance on their part, their store set-up or simply their customer profile, it is hard to say.
This being so, in the Lachine Maxi, new deposit carts are gradually introduced but will only be in operation when all carts have been replaced. This will be done in a few months, “a question of budget” we were told.
According to the employees we spoke to, the Lachine Maxi store is one of the worst in Quebec for shopping cart theft.
The store’s management has tried everything to curb the problem, notably to equip the carts with a wheel locking system once out of the supermarket area. However, this system has proved inefficient because it is too easy to bypass (simply lifting the cart a few feet or placing it in a pickup will do).
The implementation of a cart deposit system is therefore a step forward based on what is currently done but this system also has its flaws.
First, customers don’t appreciated being disciplined: it may be related to Quebec’s culture or the fact that we have not been used to it, but consumer resistance is huge (click here to see an enraged customer letter about this system published a while ago in a Chicoutimi daily newspaper).
It is true that one does not always have a dollar in hand and that in such cases, it is a waste of time to go pick one up and come back to pick a cart.
To avoid this trouble, Maxi offers reusable tokens (they are supposed to be sold, but Maxi give them away to appease customers), but here’s the glitch: since they have the same shape as a quarter, many use them in vending machines. We’ve been told that in some cases, neighboring machine operators ended up with hundreds of these worthless Maxi tokens and came back to Maxi for reimbursement!
Should Maxi then drops the tokens and requires customers to use real dollars, that is sure to attract beggars like a magnet. When customers leave the store with a cart full, they are offered help to drive their cart in exchange for collecting the deposited dollar. Most customers agree and beggars can thus make a small fortune a day, something around $ 150-200 quite easily.
In short, there is no easy and perfect solution to the problem of stolen grocery carts apart from paying additional security personnel at great expense. Ultimately, it is consumers who pick up the tab through higher product prices.
