San Jose leaders want major retailers to take a larger role in retrieving abandoned shopping carts that end up in the city’s most blighted areas.
San Jose councilmembers voted unanimously Tuesday to strengthen the city’s abandoned shopping cart regulations by requiring retail stores with more than 76 carts to install theft-prevention devices, require customers to pay a deposit for using a cart or make a deal with a cart-retrieval company. The city also wants stronger regulations to ensure San Jose stays in compliance with the Clean Water Act and avoids potential fines for waterway pollution.
Peter Hamilton, assistant to the City Manager’s Office, reminded the City Council it has the ability to fine people for stealing carts. City employees were at the State Capitol Wednesday with state Sen. Dave Cortese pushing for cities to be able to set fines higher than the existing $50 cap.
At least 2,000 shopping carts are abandoned across San Jose per year, Mayor Matt Mahan said. He added beautification workers are tired of having to “fish out” carts from the waterways.
“I don’t think any of us ran for office or signed up for our day jobs here thinking we would be so focused on shopping cart loss prevention,” Mahan said at the meeting. “I do want to thank the grocers and other retailers for engaging, helping us understand how to regulate this in a way that will not harm their business.”
Hamilton said grocers and retailers gave mixed feedback on theft-prevention devices like wheel locks because the devices are difficult to install and easy to bypass. The city wanted to gauge its proposals with businesses that would be affected and met with Trader Joe’s, Sprouts, Costco, La Plaza Market, Lee’s Supermarket and a couple cart retrieval contracting businesses.
San Jose is seeking to gather more information through an upcoming three-month cart retrieval pilot program being launched in two areas facing the highest rate of abandoned shopping carts: downtown between Highway 880 and Tully Road, and in South San Jose between Coleman Road and Branham Lane.
“We would propose to return to you again in September with the results of the pilot program, and recommendations for an ongoing program including 311 integration,” Hamilton told councilmembers.
Hamilton said businesses might also be interested in reimbursing the city for retrieving their carts through a “voluntary cart retrieval program.” Senate Bill 753, authored by Cortese, would make reimbursements mandatory. The bill passed out of the Senate Local Government Committee on Wednesday.
However, California Grocers Association representative Tim James said city-mandated cart retrieval reimbursements could result in retailers paying city debt collectors, as well as dealing with cart thieves. The association wants the city to strengthen its existing regulations.
“We ask you to drop the plans for the mandatory retrieval by the city at this point,” James said.
Kat Angelov, San Jose Chamber of Commerce policy manager, said abandoned shopping carts diminish the appearance of public spaces and she’s glad the city is taking action.
“Limiting the requirement to retailers with 76 or more carts promotes accountability without burdening smaller businesses,” she said at the meeting. “We also value the city’s outreach to retailers, and the launch of the pilot program, which will offer important insights before full implementation.”
Contact Vicente Vera at [email protected] or follow @VicenteJVera on X.
