Some do.

They do – – they are the carts abandoned by those people who have the “oh, I guess I didn’t need a whole cart for this one thing“ moments

Lowe's does this and it's quite clever. Maybe you came for one thing and saw some other stuff. Having a cart right there makes that extra sale where otherwise you may be too lazy to go get a cart.

It's also nice for the employees not to have to return every cart to the front of a large store. I always filled those places when I ended up with an empty cart.

Many actually do! There are some stores that position baskets inside the shopping space just for this case. Easy way to make an additional sale.

A lot of places don't offer baskets anymore, it makes me sad

I just always take a basket at this point. Pretty much as soon as you've got more than one item, it starts getting awkward to hold. And the chance is pretty low that I won't find something else to take. Even if I specifically go to the shops for one item, chances are I actually want two of them, because evidently I've run out.

I would settle for, "stores should have baskets". I assume people steal them because the store has the basket racks, but they are empty. Desperately foraging around the checkout lines like some kind of basket goblin yields nothing.

Just do what everyone else does and steal someone else's cart.

More like. I came here for 1 thing and suddenly am holding 4 in my hands

Carts are provided (and comically oversized today) because it gets people to buy more than if they looked full earlier:

https://proceedings.emac-online.org/pdfs/A2024-119348.pdf

(there are much older studies than that confirming the same thing)

Still, right tool/right job

My preferred local one does. I love it.

These are the kinds of systemic changes that working class families can feel!

The affordability crisis took care of thay for me. I put my cereal and sour cream and can of soup in the basket, check my credit care balance, pay my $50, and leave without needing a bag

Stores around me (west Tennessee) do this.

My strategy is to bring my own reusable bag and shove the loose items in there. Only problem is remembering to bring the damn thing in.

Publix has this. I always appreciate it.

"I only came in for two items."

Mine does. One at the meat market, one by dairy, and one in the exact middle of the store

There are always baskets near the checkout lines.

Bunnings does this. Unfortunately they also don't have any near the entrance so you end up snark hunting

Always grab a basket when you enter
When you get to the middle if you don't need the basket, leave it
??
Win?

I keep a couple foldable reuseable bags in my purse for such occasions

In love with it