Wegmans Provides Specially Adapted Carts for Shoppers
Wegmans Food Markets is now providing shoppers in all of its stores with a specially adapted cart, the Firefly GoTo Shop. The carts are designed by Leckey, a Northern Ireland manufacturer of mobility equipment for children and young people, and manufactured in partnership with U.S. cart supplier Peggs, based in Riverside, Calif. The move comes following a two-store pilot, making Rochester, N.Y.-based Wegmans the first retailer in the United States to offer the GoTo Shop chain-wide.
“At Wegmans, we are committed to providing incredible customer service to all our shoppers, and we’re always looking for better ways to make our stores accessible to everyone,” noted Wegmans Community Relations Manager Linda Lovejoy. “When Liza Rudroff, a customer at our Alberta Drive store in Buffalo, N.Y., brought this cart to our attention and shared her family’s need, we recognized that there are more families, throughout all our market areas, who would benefit from the availability of this cart at our stores.”
Rudroff’s daughter, Sydney, lives with a neurological movement disorder that prevents her from standing or walking. Because Sydney is too big to sit in the front of a regular shopping cart, and too small for other special-needs carts, Rudroff used to plan shopping trips for when a family member could stay with her daughter. When Rudroff found out that the GoTo Shop was available in the United States, she spoke with the Alberta Drive Wegmans management team to see whether they could offer the cart. Within two months of her request, Wegmans began piloting the carts at the Alberta Drive store, as well as at a location in Pittsford, N.Y.
“Now I can comfortably and safely take Syd grocery shopping with me, whether it’s a planned trip or a last-minute decision to stop on the way home from school,” explained Rudroff. “Going to the store immerses Syd in the community and gives her the opportunity to engage with others, explore the sights and sounds, and learn how to shop. It’s a great life experience for her that is now effortless and worry-free for me.”
The GoTo Shop is designed for children ages 2 to 8, or up to 77 pounds, who require additional postural and head support. The cart has an open front that enables users to easily place the child in the seat, an adjustable head and lateral supports, and a fully adjustable, cushioned five-point harness.
“We are incredibly excited to partner with Wegmans on our journey to make shopping trips more inclusive for all families around the world,” said Firefly Managing Director Jayne Leckey. “For us, it’s not just what we make, it’s what we make possible, and to have a forward-thinking company like Wegmans believe in our campaign is fantastic. We are very proud to call them a partner.”
The Firefly GoTo Shop is already available at major supermarkets across the United Kingdom and Ireland. Another adaptive cart, Caroline’s Cart, is offered at various U.S. food retailers.
Family-owned Wegmans operates 99 stores in New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Virginia, Maryland and Massachusetts. The company is No. 16 on Progressive Grocer’s 2019 Super 50 list of the top grocers in the United States.
