New Law Imposes $2,000 Daily Fine On Stores For Abandoned Shopping Carts

Prince George’s County held its final council session of the year on Tuesday, passing several new laws, including a controversial measure targeting abandoned shopping carts. The new law aims to address the issue of discarded carts littering bus stops and ditches across the county. Retailers with more than 20 shopping carts will now be required to label them clearly and implement measures to keep them secured. Failure to comply will result in a $2,000 fine. While the bill seeks to reduce cart abandonment, it has drawn criticism.

The Maryland Retailers Alliance contends that stores are not responsible for carts being removed from their premises, as they are effectively being stolen.