You wouldn't think that a department store's shopping carts would cause outrage. But for Target, that seems to be the case. An apparent redesign of the store's carts has prompted some angry parents to speak out. They have important safety concerns that involve their youngsters. Giving voice to the parental pushback has been Ashley Darling. The New York Post described her as "[a] TikTok lifestyle influencer and mom of a young girl."
In a TikTok video captioned "Target Cart Redesign Fail," Darling points out what she believes are the cart's deficiencies.
For one thing, she says that the cup holder should not be situated directly next to where a child is sitting in the cart. Also, there is a perforated piece of plastic right near the kids' seat. It has openings possibly big enough for little fingers to get dangerously caught in.
"You can definitely tell that they did not consult one single mother" about this cart design, Darling says in the video.
Ashley Darling Made The Video Inside A Target Store with Her Little Girl
She Points Out What She Feels Are The Hazards Of The Cart
The cup holder is where a youngster could easily reach and tip over a beverage. A child might even try to consume it themselves. That could make a mess or cause burns if it's a hot drink. The perforated plastic is also within the grasp of a child perched in the bucket seat.
Darling foresees "some sort of lawsuit" in the future because of the carts.
Not Everyone Agrees With Darling's Cart Critique
Some Say They Actually Like The Carts
Some people took issue with Ashley Darling's complaints about Target's carts. Per the Post, one commenter wrote about the video, "I think the holes are large enough that a [toddler's] finger won't get stuck and I like the cup holder." Someone else noted, "I actually kind of like the cupholder there — my son can put his cup there himself, so it's not getting dropped in the store."
So the cart controversy will probably go on. Whether it causes Target to make any revisions to the cart design remains to be seen.
