U.S supermarket chain Wegmans makes it easy for families with disabled kids to enjoy shopping together

Well-known American supermarket chain Wegmans Food Markets is making it easier for families with children with mobility issue to shop. How? By offering a specially adapted cart that makes it easier for them to shop with their children.

Prominent American supermarket chain Wegman Food Markets sure knows how to keep its customers happy. Ask Lisa Rudroff.

Lisa’s daughter Sydney has a neurological movement disorder, a condition that prevents her from standing or walking. Sydney is too big to sit in the front of a regular shopping cart, and too small for other special needs carts. This meant that every time Lisa wanted to shop, she had to ask a caregiver to look after Sydney at home.

Lisa heard about Firefly GoTo Shop. These carts are designed by Leckey, a well-known manufacturer of mobility equipment for children and young people. The GoTo Shop carts are made in partnership with US cart supplier, Peggs Inc..

The GoTo Shop is designed for children between two to eight years of age and up to a weight of 77 pounds (about 35 kgs). They offer extra support for the head and posture and come with an open front, making it easy for users to place their child in the seat. There are adjustable head and lateral supports, and a fully adjustable, cushioned five-point harness.

When Lisa heard that the GoTo Shop was available in the United States, she approached the Wegmans management team to see if they would consider offering the cart. Within two months, Wegmans began piloting the GoTo Shop carts at its Alberta Drive and Pittsford stores in New York.

Wegmans Food Markets, Inc., a 99-store supermarket chain with stores in New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Virginia, Maryland, and Massachusetts, celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2016. Wegmans has been named one of the 100 Best Companies to Work For by FORTUNE magazine for 22 consecutive years, ranking #3 in 2019.

It is now the first retailer in the United States to offer GoTo Shop trolley in all its stores.

At Wegmans, we are committed to providing incredible customer service to all our shoppers, and we’re always looking for better ways to make our stores accessible to everyone. When Liza Rudroff, a customer at our Alberta Drive store in Buffalo, New York, brought this cart to our attention and shared her family’s need, we recognized that there are more families, throughout all our market areas, who would benefit from the availability of this cart at our stores. – Linda Lovejoy, Wegmans Community Relations Manager

Lisa says she can now take her daughter shopping without a worry. “I can comfortably and safely take Syd grocery shopping with me, whether it’s a planned trip or a last-minute decision to stop on the way home from school”. Lisa regards this as more than enabling convenience, its also about equipping her daughter with life skills. “Going to the store immerses Syd in the community and gives her the opportunity to engage with others, explore the sights and sounds, and learn how to shop. It’s a great life experience for her, that is now effortless and worry-free for me.”

GoTo Fly carts come with many features that protect the child and guarantee safety. These are:

• Adjustable headrest – A supportive headrest that slides up and down to the ideal height of a child.
• Adjustable laterals – The laterals move high, low, wide or narrow to hug and support the child, offering comfort and security.
• Secure 5-Point harness – A safe and secure feeling as these can easily adjusted to fit the size of the child.
• Soft cushioned material – This can be wiped clean, hence easy maintenance.

Firefly aims to make the GoTo Shop trolley available at every supermarket so families have the freedom to shop wherever and whenever they need to.

“We are incredibly excited to partner with Wegmans on our journey to make shopping trips more inclusive for all families around the world,” said Firefly managing director Jayne Leckey. “For us it’s not just what we make, it’s what we make possible, and to have a forward-thinking company like Wegmans believe in our campaign is fantastic. We are very proud to call them a partner.”

To learn more about the Firefly GoTo Shop, please visit the Firefly website

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