Nate Armbruster
TikTok user Shawn (@soulforgepodcast) has gained popularity with a viral video that shows a payment system attached to a Walmart shopping cart while claiming that shoppers will soon have to pay one dollar to use one. As of Sunday, the video has over 7.2 million views.
“Starting February 1st, Walmart is going to charge you a dollar to take out their carts.”
Initially, viewers were irate about Walmart charging one dollar for shopping carts.
However, TikTok users have some misconceptions about the video.
TikTok user Shawn is from Canada where dollar coins are widely used. It’s uncertain if this policy applies nationwide in Canada, but reports from regions like Thunder Bay suggest it’s being implemented at some Canadian locations.
The dollar coin seen in the video is likely a deposit that customers get back after they return the cart upon completing their shopping. TikTok users have noted that this system is widely used in the U.S. and Europe.
Grocery chain Aldi has had a similar system in the U.S. for years where customers must deposit a quarter to use a cart, which is returned upon cart return. Aldi explains the policy on their website.
“This 25-cent deposit ultimately saves our customers money because we don’t have to hire extra staff to collect grocery carts,” the site reads. “To unlock a cart, customers have to insert a quarter, and this deposit ensures shoppers return their cart to the corral to get their quarter back.”
Regardless, some viewers weren’t so excited.
You Can View The Full Video Here:
@soulforgepodcast
