I don't have to tell my fellow ALDIans that ALDI has the biggest shopping carts in town, excluding the flatbed carts at Costco and its equivalents. ALDI's strategy is the inverse of the "eat from a smaller plate and you'll eat less" philosophy. You have this BIG cart. You have to use all of it! At one time in the past, ALDI billed itself as "The Stock-Up Store".
What about Lidl? It's taking them longer than expected to expand westward and of course I'll give 'em a look once they reach Sunny SoCal. Are Lidl's carts bigger or smaller than the norm? Are they, too, using psychology to urge you to fill up that cart and not feel silly?
Personally, if the quantity I'm buying won't fit in both arms, I'll plug in my quarter and take a cart, even if it's just a loaf of bread, a dozen eggs, a quart of yogurt and 2 half-gallons of almond milk. I don't feel silly. Just practical.
