Shopping Trolley Market - Global Forecast 2026-2032

The Shopping Trolley Market size was estimated at USD 1.47 billion in 2025 and expected to reach USD 1.58 billion in 2026, at a CAGR of 8.10% to reach USD 2.54 billion by 2032.

The shopping trolley has transitioned from a simple handheld basket extension to a pivotal touchpoint in omnichannel retail. Consumers now expect a seamless journey between brick-and-mortar and online environments, with over 90% identifying as omnichannel shoppers. This evolution elevates the shopping trolley beyond a passive carrier to an interactive asset that bridges digital and physical experiences.

As customer values shift towards environmental accountability, retailers respond by sourcing eco-friendly materials for trolleys. Recent data indicates that nearly 80% of consumers prefer sustainable retail solutions when available and that 76% intend to shop more with retailers offering environmentally friendly products. This trend has catalyzed a surge in trolleys constructed from recycled plastics, biodegradable composites, and steel finishes designed for recyclability.

Simultaneously, technological advances have transformed trolleys into smart devices. Innovations such as RFID tagging, integrated barcode scanners, and onboard digital displays now support in-cart navigation, real-time spending tracking, and direct payment functionalities. Pilots of AI-powered smart carts in leading grocery chains demonstrate the potential to eliminate checkout bottlenecks and deliver personalized promotions directly at the point of use.

Emerging cohorts, particularly Gen Z and Millennials, are reshaping expectations around personalization and convenience in the shopping environment. Gen Z spending grew 34% year-over-year in 2023, according to industry analysis, and 67% of social commerce interactions involve product discovery that blends online and in-store browsing. As these digital-native consumers become primary spenders, they demand trolleys that facilitate mobile app integration, interactive promotions, and frictionless payments, reinforcing the trolley’s evolution into a personalized retail touchpoint.

Against this backdrop, the modern shopping trolley must accommodate diverse use cases, from heavy-duty industrial applications to compact residential settings. This report will explore variations in mobility solutions, material compositions, product capacities, and distribution channels that collectively define an industry in flux. Through this lens, stakeholders can understand how these multifaceted shifts converge to reshape one of the most ubiquitous tools in retail.

Modern retailers are investing in unified commerce platforms to integrate sales, fulfillment, and service processes across every channel seamlessly. Only 17% of retailers rate their unified commerce capabilities as mature, yet those who advance this integration report 27% lower fulfillment costs and 18% reduced cart abandonment rates. At the same time, AI-driven supply chain tools and fleet management systems are enabling real-time tracking of cart utilization and maintenance needs, reducing downtime and optimizing asset deployment across store networks.

Sustainability has moved from compliance to a strategic imperative, influencing design choices and procurement policies. With 76% of consumers expressing a preference for eco-friendly retail offerings , manufacturers are accelerating the adoption of recycled composites and corrosion-resistant coatings that extend product lifespan and facilitate end-of-life recyclability. Moreover, circular-economy models, such as cart remanufacturing and parts-level refurbishment, are gaining traction, allowing retail operators to reduce both waste and capital expenditures while meeting ESG targets.

The rise of hybrid shopping habits, including Buy Online, Pick Up In-Store (BOPIS) and curbside pickup, has elevated the shopping trolley’s role as a fulfillment asset. Retailers report that BOPIS orders account for a significant share of total sales, driving investment in specialized pickup trolleys designed for secure, temperature-controlled transport of perishable goods. As last-mile logistics adapt to rising e-commerce volumes, micro-fulfillment centers and automated retrieval systems are integrating with in-store cart fleets to streamline order preparation and handoff, reinforcing the trolley’s evolving functional profile.

Recent supply chain disruptions and labor shortages have underscored the importance of resilience and due diligence. Retailers are now embedding climate-impact scores and digital traceability into every stage of trolley production, showcasing environmental footprints alongside traditional quality metrics. AI-powered inventory management systems that predict demand and optimize maintenance schedules reduce downtime and labor dependencies, ensuring a more robust supply pipeline. These proactive measures not only mitigate risk but also enhance transparency for regulators and socially conscious consumers.

Beyond manual push-style models, motorized trolleys and autonomous cart escorts are emerging in both retail and industrial environments. Pilot programs deploying AI-equipped smart carts in high-traffic supermarkets have demonstrated improvements in shopping speed and basket accuracy, with sensor arrays reducing mis-scans by over 95%. These motorized solutions not only address labor shortages by augmenting staff productivity but also open new avenues for data-driven in-aisle marketing and customer assistance services.

In 2025, the U.S. government elevated Section 232 tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from 25% to 50%, effective June 4, 2025, as part of national security measures aimed at protecting domestic industries. This sharp increase eliminates prior exemptions for key trading partners and applies uniformly to steel and aluminum content, including derivative products, thus directly affecting shopping trolley manufacturers reliant on these raw materials.

As a consequence, producers of traditional metal shopping trolleys have encountered a material cost increase estimated to exceed 20%, driven by the higher import duty on galvanized steel and aluminum alloys. Retail infrastructure providers with global supply chains, such as RTX and other heavy-equipment manufacturers, report that tariff burdens have already reduced profit forecasts by hundreds of millions of dollars, underscoring the broader industrial impact of the policy shift.

In response, manufacturers have accelerated efforts to diversify their raw material sources, securing lower-cost metal from domestic mills and exploring composite alternatives that fall outside the steel and aluminum tariff scope. Some innovators are also experimenting with carbon fiber and high-impact plastics to mitigate exposure to tariff-driven cost volatility, signaling a long-term trend toward material substitution in trolley construction.

These upstream cost increases have gradually filtered through to distribution partners and end users, with major U.S. retailers beginning to absorb higher equipment lease and purchase costs within operating budgets. Nonetheless, strong competitive pressures in the grocery and mass-merchandise sectors have limited the extent to which these expenses can be passed on to consumers, compelling both manufacturers and retailers to seek efficiency gains elsewhere in the supply chain to maintain overall profitability.

Beyond immediate cost pressures, the tariff environment has prompted an uptick in R&D investment aimed at developing next-generation materials and design frameworks. Several manufacturers report directing a portion of their R&D budgets toward low-tariff composites, such as glass fiber and carbon fiber reinforcements, and toward refining modular assembly techniques that reduce metal usage by up to 30%. Such innovations aim to future-proof product lines against potential trade policy fluctuations and to capture premium segments seeking lightweight, high-performance trolleys.

The choice between fixed-wheel, motorized, and pedestrian models underscores the diversity of mobility needs across retail and industrial contexts. Fixed-wheel trolleys remain prevalent in high-throughput environments due to their durability and minimal maintenance requirements, while motorized units are gaining traction in large warehouses and hypermarkets to assist staff with heavy loads and reduce physical strain. Meanwhile, pedestrian trolleys continue to serve smaller convenience stores and residential settings, offering compact profiles that facilitate maneuverability in tight aisles and at home doorsteps.

Application-driven distinctions further refine trolley designs for the commercial, industrial, and residential sectors. In commercial environments, retail chains leverage specialized shopping trolleys tailored for both retail and wholesale outlets, incorporating features such as nested storage and customizable branding panels. Industrial settings demand heavy-duty trolleys engineered to transport bulk materials, reinforced for rugged use and often fitted with motorized propulsion for extended runtimes. Conversely, residential solutions prioritize lighter construction and ergonomic handles to support at-home shopping services and personal mobility needs.

Product type variation, spanning electric, heavy-duty, and standard models, aligns with user expectations around power assistance, load capacity, and cost. Electric trolleys, equipped with battery-powered drive systems, are emerging as a premium segment in grocery and hardware stores, enhancing operator productivity. Heavy-duty units, crafted from high-strength metals or composites, cater to industrial operations demanding long lifespan under rigorous use. Standard trolleys, traditionally built from steel or plastic, remain the workhorse in supermarkets due to their cost-effectiveness and ease of cleaning. Material innovations also differentiate offerings, with composite blends such as carbon fiber and glass fiber fibered into durable frameworks, alongside metal bodies and injection-molded plastics, satisfying a spectrum of durability and sustainability objectives.

Capacity classifications-ranging from lightweight models for small-basket shopping to large frames for bulk purchases-enable retailers to select trolleys that optimize aisle flow and customer satisfaction. Distribution channels, which include hypermarkets, supermarkets, grocery stores, and convenience outlets, demand tailored equipment; convenience stores often deploy more compact light-weight trolleys, whereas large-format retailers utilize high-capacity metal carts. The rise of e-commerce has introduced omni-channel merchants that blend pure-play online platforms with omnichannel brick-and-mortar operations, driving demand for modular trolleys that can transition from warehouse loading docks to pick-and-pack stations and into customer-facing environments seamlessly.

In the Americas, particularly within the United States and Canada, the shopping trolley market is characterized by a strong emphasis on smart cart deployments and sustainability initiatives. Leading grocery chains are piloting AI-driven carts in high-traffic metropolitan areas, harnessing digital displays and sensor networks to enhance shopper engagement. Meanwhile, institutional buyers in the industrial sector are investing heavily in motorized and heavy-duty trolleys to streamline warehouse operations and support logistics networks. The region’s advanced e-commerce infrastructure underpins a growing trend toward integrated omni-channel cart solutions that must satisfy both online order assembly and in-aisle pickup.

In Europe, Middle East & Africa (EMEA), regulatory focus on environmental impact and circular economy principles has driven widespread adoption of remanufacturing and cart refurbishment practices. European retailers, from hypermarkets to specialty chains, routinely integrate recycled composites and modular components in trolley fleets, adhering to stringent waste-reduction targets. Emerging markets in the Middle East and Africa exhibit a duality of demand, where modern urban centers invest in smart and motorized trolleys to support luxury retail formats, even as rural and developing areas maintain traditional metal and plastic units for durability and cost-effectiveness under harsh conditions.

The Asia-Pacific region presents perhaps the most dynamic landscape, driven by rapid urbanization and diverse retail formats, from high-end shopping complexes in Tokyo and Sydney to vast hypermarket chains in India and China. Adoption of electric and AI-powered carts is accelerating, as seen in pilot programs with AI-based navigation systems in Australian and Japanese stores. At the same time, domestic manufacturers in China and Southeast Asia are scaling production of standard and low-cost trolleys, leveraging low-wage environments to serve both regional markets and export demands. As infrastructure gaps narrow, the APAC market is poised for continued growth in both volume and technological sophistication.

Wanzl has established itself as the world’s largest shopping trolley manufacturer, with a history dating back over seven decades and a global footprint that spans 12 production facilities across Europe and Asia. Renowned for pioneering the fixed-wheel trolley design in the 1950s, the company continues to lead through investments in corrosion-resistant coatings, lightweight plastic composites, and smart cart integrations that align with leading retail digital transformation initiatives.

Unarco Industries, operating under Marmon Retail Solutions, distinguishes itself through a dual focus on new cart manufacturing and remanufacturing excellence. Its U.S.-based plants deliver consistent quality, while its remanufacturing process diverts up to 95% of existing parts from landfills, achieving significant energy and emissions savings and offering retailers cost reductions of up to 30% compared to new equipment.

A cohort of specialized manufacturers, including Guangdong Winleader, Kailiou, Creaciones Marsanz, and Sambo Corp, has emerged from Asia to capture cost-sensitive segments both domestically and abroad. These suppliers often combine low-cost steel fabrication with agile production capabilities, enabling rapid customization and volume scalability that meet the demands of developing markets.

Beyond these market leaders, companies such as Crown Equipment Corporation and Weland are leveraging cross-industry expertise in material handling to accelerate entry into the trolley market. Crown’s channel partners benefit from advanced steel processing capabilities, while Weland emphasizes ergonomic innovations and modular designs that support quick assembly and reconfiguration.

Technology vendors such as Instacart and Shopic have expanded the concept of the trolley through clip-on devices and fully integrated smart cart platforms. In collaboration with leading chains like Coles and Wegmans, these providers have demonstrated that AI-powered carts can increase transaction speed and enhance loyalty engagement by embedding digital rewards programs directly into the shopping experience.

Industry leaders should prioritize modular smart cart platforms that enable incremental technology additions-such as digital screens, RFID modules, and sensor kits-without requiring complete equipment replacement. By partnering with fintech and retail-tech firms, manufacturers can offer seamless software updates and data analytics dashboards, driving recurring revenue streams while adapting to evolving consumer expectations for in-cart interactivity.

To meet tightening ESG requirements, companies must deepen partnerships with material science innovators and recycling networks. Leveraging collaborative remanufacturing models and certified recycled composites can reduce reliance on tariff-exposed metals, stabilize input costs, and demonstrate a tangible commitment to circular economy principles, resonating with both regulators and environmentally conscious consumers.

Adopting a segment-centric product development strategy will enable suppliers to tailor mobility features, load capacities, and ergonomic designs to distinct user groups-from commercial hypermarkets to residential delivery services. For instance, developing lightweight pedestrian models for urban convenience outlets and heavy-duty motorized units for warehouse logistics can unlock new revenue channels while strengthening competitive differentiation.

Companies should refine their regional strategies by aligning product portfolios with local regulatory frameworks and retail ecosystem maturity. In the Americas, emphasize smart cart rollouts and omnichannel compatibility; in EMEA, lead with remanufacturing and recycled material offerings; and in APAC, combine cost-effective standard models with scalable smart cart technology pilots. This targeted approach will ensure efficient resource allocation and sustainable growth across disparate markets.

Leaders should also forge deeper alliances with e-commerce platform providers to embed trolley data flows into broader loyalty and supply chain systems. By sharing real-time cart utilization and item-level data with digital partners, retailers can personalize marketing campaigns, streamline replenishment cycles, and improve lifetime customer value.

Our research methodology integrates primary and secondary data collection, combining interviews with industry executives, surveys of leading retailers and manufacturers, and hands-on site visits at distribution centers and retail outlets. This hybrid approach ensures that our analysis captures both strategic perspectives and operational realities across core markets.

Quantitative findings were triangulated against publicly available trade data, regulatory filings, and tariff schedules to validate cost impact assessments and competitive intelligence. Qualitative insights from expert panels further contextualized emerging trends in sustainability, omnichannel adoption, and material innovations.

We structured our analysis around a multi-layer segmentation framework encompassing mobility type, application, product type, material composition, capacity, and distribution channels. This comprehensive lens enables stakeholders to identify niche opportunities and prioritize resource investments based on clear consumer and operational characteristics.

To maintain relevance in a rapidly evolving landscape, our methodology includes periodic validation cycles with key opinion leaders and continuous monitoring of policy initiatives-such as changes to Section 232 tariffs-and technological rollouts. This adaptive design ensures the report remains a reliable resource for decision-makers through 2025 and beyond.

The convergence of omnichannel retail demands, heightened sustainability expectations, and advanced smart cart technologies has fundamentally reshaped what a shopping trolley embodies in 2025. These forces have compelled manufacturers to rethink traditional designs, embracing modular platforms and eco-friendly materials to meet modern operational and ethical standards.

Simultaneously, heightened United States tariffs on steel and aluminum have served as a catalyst for innovation, accelerating the shift toward alternative materials and reinforcing the importance of agile supply chain management. The resulting cost pressures underscore the necessity for manufacturers and retailers to collaborate on efficiency gains and value-added services.

Strategic segmentation-across mobility, application, product type, material, capacity, and distribution channels-emerged as a pivotal mechanism for customizing offerings to distinct market needs. Companies that align design and service propositions with these nuanced user profiles will be best positioned to capture growth and foster long-term customer loyalty.

Finally, regional dynamics in the Americas, EMEA, and APAC reveal that success hinges on localized go-to-market strategies and partnerships. As global competition intensifies, leaders must leverage regional strengths-from technological adoption in North America to circular economy practices in Europe-to secure their competitive edge.

For a comprehensive view of the global shopping trolley landscape, reach out to Ketan Rohom, Associate Director, Sales & Marketing, to secure exclusive access to the definitive market research report. This detailed analysis offers actionable insights and strategic guidance to navigate tariff complexities, segmentation opportunities, and regional considerations. Contact Ketan Rohom today to discuss tailored solutions and discover how your organization can leverage these findings to drive innovation, operational excellence, and sustainable growth.