Big Y Provides Carts for Special-needs Kids

New England grocer Big Y Foods has introduced Caroline's Cart, a brand of shopping carts for special-needs children and adults, in 44 of its 63 supermarkets. The carts enable parents and caregivers to transport a disabled person through a store while grocery shopping, without having to try to maneuver a wheelchair and a standard shopping cart simultaneously. Springfield, Mass.-based Big Y is the first retailer in western New England to provide the carts for shoppers.

Caroline's Cart is named for the special-needs daughter of Alabama residents Drew Ann and David Long. Realizing that Caroline would eventually outgrow a traditional shopping cart, Drew Ann designed a prototype cart and worked with Newton, N.C.-based cart manufacturer Technibilt to produce and distribute them.

"Caroline's Carts help us to fulfill our vision to our communities of providing a personal shopping experience that makes daily life easier, more healthful and more enjoyable," noted Big Y EVP Michael P. D'Amour of the launch, which was accomplished in collaboration with Cincinnati-based Procter & Gamble.

The grocer plans to monitor cart usage and add to its number of stores providing the carts. Other food retailers that offer Caroline's Cart include Cub Foods, Buehler's and ShopRite.

Big Y operates stores throughout Connecticut and Massachusetts, with more than 10,000 employees.