Wegmans is piloting a new shopping cart program at its store in Auburn.
A spokesperson for the company confirmed to FingerLakes1.com via email that the new security system is called ‘Gatekeeper’ and is aimed to ensure all shopping carts stay on property.
It’s an issue common at grocery stores in cities and larger suburbs.
However, despite the issue being more common at city stores like those around Rochester – the company opted to test it out in Auburn.
According to The Citizen, the City of Auburn instituted a new $100 cart recovery fee for all retailers. While that could have been part of the reason for the pilot program- Wegmans had also apparently hired a third-party company to snag carts that had left the property before Gatekeeper’s implementation.
At this point the Auburn store is the only one using the Gatekeeper system.
Spokesperson Laura Camera tells FingerLakes1.com the system works by locking wheels when a property exits a set perimeter. She confirmed that Auburn is the only store to have implemented such a tool, but admitted that the company was watching its success to potentially roll out at other locations.
“If a cart is taken outside this specified perimeter, the wheels will lock,” she explained. When inside the perimeter- the wheels unlock.
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