Enforcement of Shopping Cart Ordinance Begins Oct. 16

The new City ordinance, commonly called the Shopping Cart Ordinance, will go into effect Friday, Aug. 16, but Las Cruces police will delay enforcement for 60 days, in part, so retail establishments can submit a plan and application.

LCPD also wants to allow time for all parties to become educated on the new regulations and aware of the requirement.

Las Cruces police intend to begin enforcement of the ordinance on Oct. 16, 2024.

The ordinance, approved by Las Cruces City Council on Aug. 5, 2024, relates to shopping cart containment and retrieval. It intends to eliminate the public nuisance and potential hazards created when shopping carts are removed from retail establishments.

The ordinance will, in part, require retail establishments to submit a shopping cart plan, affix an identifying sign to their shopping carts and retrieve carts in a timely manner when they are located. The ordinance maintains previous regulations that make it a violation to remove shopping carts from retail premises or possess them off-site, abandon or alter them.

The ordinance does not require retail establishments to retrieve shopping carts directly from individuals who may have them, nor should retailers attempt to do so.

Violation of the shopping cart ordinance could result in a petty misdemeanor under Las Cruces Municipal Code, Section 1-10. In lieu of jail time or fine, the ordinance allows judges to order community service including counseling, treatment for substance use disorders or mental health treatment.