$1 deposit on Walmart's new coin-operated carts in 2023 is fully refundable
Joseph Russell
Published Apr 03, 2026
Shoppers across the US and Canada have assumed they must pay $1 to use Walmart’s new carts at its stores starting February 1, 2023. But, there’s more to the new policy than meets the eye; you needn’t worry about losing a loonie.
The topic sparked a conversation among shoppers after certain TikToks claiming Walmart was charging for its carts went viral. The videos show a payment device attached to the cart with “$1” written on it.
TB NewsWatch reports that Walmart has introduced coin-operated shopping carts in its Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada stores. At the time of writing this article, it hasn’t been confirmed if the same policy is applicable to its outlets in the US.
The new shopping carts introduced in some Walmart stores in Canada can be accessed by depositing $1, which is fully refundable at the time of the return of the same.
The news was first shared on the company’s official Facebook Page in early January 2023.
Contradicting the false assumption that a $1 fee is charged, the post reads: “Put $1 in the Walmart shopping cart. Shop & return the cart to get back your $1 back.”
The new shopping carts policy has reportedly been introduced in three Thunder Bay stores.
As per TB News, another post shared by Walmart Canada on Facebook reads: “Don’t forget to bring a loonie on your next visit to your Memorial Avenue Wal-Mart! Starting today, all of our shopping carts will require the use of $1.”
New rule attracts mixed reactions
As noted earlier, many have assumed that they will be charged $1 each time they use a shopping cart at Walmart, thus resulting in them sharing mixed reactions about it.
“Everything is a scam cause why you gotta pay $1 for a cart at Walmart that’s crazy lmao,” wrote one Twitter user who seems to have assumed that the deposit is non-refundable.
Another shopper who is fully aware of the policy commented in favor of Walmart, saying many just leave the carts wherever after shopping. The comment read: “You get it back. So many people didn’t Put their carts back at our Walmart. Now they do”
“What’s the big deal? I have my Aldi’s quarter in my purse, now I’ll have a designated Walmart dollar,” said another, pointing out that other retailers follow similar policies.
Aldi US has a similar policy
Even though Walmart incorporated the policy regarding refundable deposits on its shopping carts in 2023, other major retailers like Aldi have already been following it.
Aldi customers can get their deposit of a quarter back on returning their shopping cart at the end of their visit to the store, as per its official website, reports The Sun.
It states: “To unlock a cart, customers have to insert a quarter, and this deposit ensures shoppers return their cart to the corral to get their quarter back.”
It is also in practice to avoid the hiring of “extra staff to collect grocery carts.”
