Target shopping cart ‘improvement’ sparks customer backlash: ‘Junk’

Target’s New Shopping Carts Face Backlash

Customers are expressing strong disappointment with Target’s latest shopping carts, suggesting they completely miss the mark.

Shoppers are angry, labeling the 50,000 new carts “rubbish” and claiming they are “falling to pieces.” It’s quite a chaotic situation.

Target is introducing these new carts—marketed as sturdy and easier to maneuver—in approximately 2,000 stores over the next few years. This move is part of a larger investment strategy aimed at regaining the trust of dissatisfied customers.

The company faced a boycotting wave from once-loyal patrons after it announced a reversal of its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies back in March 2025. Additionally, sales plummeted after the launch of “tuck-friendly” clothing for Pride Month.

Criticism of the new carts seems to be relentless.

A frustrated regular at Target shared on Reddit, “The shopping carts my store just got are pieces of trash. The first day, we spotted parts of them all over the floor and parking lot. It’s the same components, essential for the carts.”

Continuing, they mentioned how staff indicated that pushing the carts is challenging. They also noted that the car seat is likely too small for a growing child.

Another disgruntled customer tweeted their frustration, stating, “A new shopping cart? Is that your solution?” They conveyed their ongoing displeasure about the company’s policy changes, saying they’ll no longer shop there.

Target employees, wishing to remain anonymous, also voiced their grievances.

One employee criticized the new carts, saying, “The new cart will not work with the cart pusher. When I try to push it with the machine, it just goes straight—I can’t steer it.”

This employee elaborated that navigating the carts by hand is equally frustrating because they tend to move erratically.

Another employee pointed out that the old carts had better design features. “The old carts kept their tires on the ground when nested,” they noted, explaining that this prevented unnecessary lateral movement.