Why Don't People Return Their Shopping Carts? A Scientific Investigation
5 days ago
- #psychology
- #social norms
- #human behavior
- The author, a psychologist, explores why people don't return shopping carts, viewing it as a reflection of societal behavior.
- Data was collected from 'Cart Narcs' YouTube videos, documenting 564 encounters with cart abandoners across various regions.
- Common reactions to being asked to return carts include deflection, anger, excuses (e.g., entitlement, physical limitations, busyness), and shifting blame.
- Some people justify not returning carts by citing norms ('everyone does it') or claiming it provides job stability for cart collectors.
- Behavioral science suggests incentives (like Aldi's quarter system), social norms, and reframing the act as meaningful can encourage cart return.
- The article concludes by urging readers to return carts as a gesture of consideration for others.