I have always enjoyed going grocery shopping. I've been doing it since I was 13. In those days, my mom would park in front of the store and send me in with a list and some money. It was a break for her and an adventure for me, so we both won. When I was 16 and had gotten my drivers license, I would beg to be sent to the store as it was an excuse to drive and opportunity to feel like an adult. Even these days, I love buying groceries. I enjoy the opportunities for creativity that the aisles of food offer, as well as the escape and peace of it all. However, one company is looking at intruding on that peace, which makes me sort of sad. Modstream is looking at installing digital displays into the handles of shopping carts that will scroll text messages as you shop. These screens would give food companies another way to promote their products to any consumer who grabbed a cart.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
11-23-2007 @ 4:25PM
Bob said...
At that point, I bring a roll of masking tape with me when I go shopping. Easy, peasy, rice and cheesy!
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11-23-2007 @ 6:21PM
Atreus said...
I think really sticky duct tape would send more of a message....
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11-23-2007 @ 7:01PM
salsa said...
As if supermarkets weren't already distracting enough.... I say screw the tape and bring sandpaper and PC-7!
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11-23-2007 @ 10:38PM
Colin said...
One thing I remember about going to Price Chopper on the New York side when I was a kid is that the grocery carts had calculators in the handle, although that wasn't very important to me back then.
Now, I live in Quebec, and all of the items on the shelf show not only the total price of the item but also the comparison of how much every 100 gram of the item costs, which is wonderful for deciding the best economy. I still wish, however, that there was a calculator in the handle of the cart.
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11-24-2007 @ 3:39AM
Paula from Only Cookware said...
I will be doing like most of the other commenters on this post - covering it up. I think we have enough advertising these days.
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11-24-2007 @ 12:03PM
Nicole said...
I saw these for the first time at Home Depot a week or two ago. The small screen was very easy to ignore and there was a huge plus ... The handle was so comfy to hold on to I loved the handle design.
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11-24-2007 @ 12:36PM
MJ said...
I know what you mean about the joys of grocery shoppping and seeing whats new. Especially the international isle, so many teas sauces and coffees to name a few. I would ignore the messages on the cart and roll on down the isle. LOL
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11-24-2007 @ 6:40PM
Henry said...
I remember 15+ years ago a Winn Dixie down here had an lcd screen equipped system, it would display specials when driven under IR sensors. It was as useless than as it is today.
Focus: I don't use a shopping cart -- If I can't hold it in my hands, I probably don't need it. Saved me hundreds in impulse purchases at Walmart when I was an undergrad.
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11-25-2007 @ 1:33PM
Glenn said...
The local Albertsons put in a giant LCD tv over the produce a couple years ago... I wish I could put duct tape over that!! Don't think I'd have too much trouble ignoring a text display in the handle as long as it was silent.
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11-26-2007 @ 11:39AM
Fresh said...
I think it's cool, it will give me something to look at while I wait for my wife to pick out a peanut butter.
It will definitely be cooler than those coupon dispensers that hit me in the head.
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12-02-2007 @ 1:50AM
Gregg Lain said...
Vegas, Reno - blinking beeping and beeping and blinking and beeping and flashing - wasn't that Airplane 2?? I felt a loss of peace when some Shell stations in the Bay Area installed 14" LCD's that blare out commercials and news as I pump gas. Aghgh. Enough already!!
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