I can't tell you how many times I've gone into the grocery store and decided to grab a hand-held basket instead of a cart, only to curse myself halfway through the shopping trip as my arm is ready to break with the weight of all my purchases. I end up staggering to the register, looking like a crazy woman as I half-carry, half-drag my items to the counter. One grocery store in the Boston area has solved the problem of the overloaded hand basket by introducing ones that behave like the traditional baskets, save for the fact that when they get too heavy to carry, you can place it on the ground and wheel it along. Available in Shaw's Supermarkets, this basket has become a hit with shoppers (some might say too much of a hit, until the stores implemented a loss-prevention program, the baskets were wheeling themselves right out of the store). The store likes them too, as they encourage shoppers to toss a few more items into the basket than they might otherwise have done had they had to heft the full weight of the load.
You can also find these rolling baskets at New York-based Wegman's, Marsh Supermarkets in Indianapolis and Roundy's Supermarkets in Wisconsin.
[via Consumerist]

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10-06-2008 @9:44PM CosetTheTable said... There's at least one Whole Foods in Boston (Symphony) that has something very similar as well. Shaws usually isn't that bad, but that Whole Foods has so many customers and is so tightly packed that there really isn't room to bring around a full sized cart anyway!
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10-06-2008 @10:21PM Divine Bird Jenny said... Geissler's in Windsor Locks, CT also uses them...I assume the whole small chain does. I LOVE them! They're really handy and cute, and it helps when I forget to bring my own small cart with me.
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10-07-2008 @1:47AM KF said... How cool! Like you, I usually regret the hand basket because I'm an impulse shopper and within 15 minutes, I take it up front and exchange it for a cart to alleviate the strain. I would love these. Might help curb those purchases if it never gets exchanged for a cart!
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10-07-2008 @8:09AM sv said... this is a good idea, and I hope more become available in the US ! Here in Denmark we've had these for a few years already, and they're a great choice instead of a large shopping cart.
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10-07-2008 @9:42AM spw said... we have them down in Richmond, VA at our local grocery store, Ellwood Thompson's. hey really are a life saver, since I always go into the store planning on buying just a few things, and then I too am struggling to bring the overflowing basket up to the check out. such a good idea!
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10-07-2008 @1:03PM N said... Saw these at my local Shaw's. The handles are too long for carrying items like a traditional basket, but it's great as a micro-cart. This works well for smaller grocery stores too.
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10-07-2008 @10:01PM Celeste said... I live in Boston and I LOVE these. You might wonder if they cause chaos in the aisles (which are really narrow here), but they don't. Everyone manages to wheel them around with no problems--I think it's because everyone's used to wheeling suitcases around the airport now.
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