Walmart Expands Accessibility with New Shopping Carts Across 11 States
Walmart is expanding its accessibility efforts by introducing “Caroline’s Carts” to locations in 11 states, starting this week. These newly designed shopping carts aim to enhance the shopping experience for individuals with disabilities, providing greater ease and inclusivity in stores.
The Caroline’s Carts feature a large seat at the back of the basket, which can accommodate individuals weighing between 35 and 250 pounds. Each Walmart Supercenter will have at least two of these carts, while every Neighborhood Market will have at least one, totaling approximately 8,000 carts nationwide.
The initial rollout will include Walmart stores in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Texas.
Cedric Clark, Walmart’s Executive Vice President of Store Operations, emphasized the importance of these carts in providing relief to parents and caregivers. “Equipping our stores with Caroline’s Carts offers valuable support to customers who need it, whether they are caring for someone with a disability or a temporary injury,” Clark said.
The carts feature a booster seat on the back with safety straps, allowing riders to be securely buckled in. Riders can rest their feet on a small ledge at the bottom of the cart, facing the person pushing the cart through the store.
This initiative is part of Walmart’s broader strategy to create more inclusive shopping experiences. In addition to the new carts, Walmart has also reintroduced sensory hours at several locations. These hours, typically from 8 to 10 a.m., provide a quieter shopping environment with dimmed lights, muted radios, and reduced chatter, aimed at creating a more comfortable experience for those with sensory sensitivities.
Walmart plans to have Caroline’s Carts available in every store across the country by early 2025. Details on the carts’ cost and production remain undisclosed, as does the background on how they were named.
