Walmart is making major changes to its online pickup cart rules after growing safety concerns from workers, customers, and legal cases linked to overloaded fulfillment carts inside stores. The Walmart cart safety policy update comes as Walmart online pickup orders continue to surge across the United States.
The new Walmart cart rules affect thousands of Walmart workers who pick and pack online grocery pickup and delivery orders every day. The company says the changes are designed to improve Walmart worker safety, customer safety, and in-store visibility while handling the growing pressure of Walmart e-commerce growth.
Walmart Changes Cart Rules for Online Pickup Workers
According to an internal memo obtained by media reports, Walmart has now reduced the maximum number of blue pickup bins allowed on order fulfillment carts from eight bins down to six bins.
The Walmart online order carts are used by employees who gather products for Walmart pickup orders and Walmart delivery orders inside stores. Workers move through crowded aisles while collecting groceries, household products, electronics, and other customer purchases.
Under the updated Walmart cart safety rules:
- Walmart workers can now choose whether to push or pull the carts depending on visibility
- Walmart pickup carts are now limited to six blue bins instead of eight
- Workers are instructed to pull carts if visibility becomes blocked
- Employees are encouraged to push carts only when they have a clear view ahead
The company says the updated Walmart store safety policy is intended to create a safer environment for both Walmart associates and Walmart shoppers.
Why Walmart Changed the Cart Policy
The Walmart fulfillment cart policy became controversial after workers criticized an earlier company instruction that required employees to pull carts instead of pushing them.
Many Walmart employees complained online that pulling the heavy carts caused problems including:
- Carts striking workers’ heels
- Difficulty navigating crowded store aisles
- Increased physical strain
- Reduced control over large online order carts
- Greater risk of accidents with customers
Discussions spread quickly across worker forums, Reddit pages, and social media groups used by Walmart associates. Employees argued that the previous Walmart cart handling rules created new safety problems rather than solving existing ones.
The backlash appears to have pushed Walmart into quickly revising the policy again.
Walmart Worker Safety Becomes Bigger Issue
The Walmart worker safety concerns come during a period of explosive Walmart e-commerce growth. Walmart’s online business has expanded rapidly as more customers use Walmart grocery pickup, Walmart curbside pickup, and Walmart same-day delivery services.
The company reported that its e-commerce division recently posted 27% sales growth, marking the eighth straight quarter with growth above 20%.
That rapid Walmart online sales growth means workers inside stores are handling more pickup carts, more fulfillment traffic, and tighter delivery timelines than ever before.
Many Walmart stores now process hundreds of online pickup orders every single day. Some locations are also racing to meet Walmart’s ultra-fast delivery goals, including deliveries in as little as 30 minutes.
As Walmart delivery speed increases, pressure on store employees also increases.
Walmart Pickup Workers Face Growing Pressure
The rise of Walmart online grocery pickup has transformed how stores operate. In many locations, Walmart employees constantly move through aisles with large blue-bin carts while customers shop nearby.
Workers responsible for Walmart order fulfillment are expected to:
- Pick products quickly
- Meet strict timing targets
- Avoid blocking customers
- Navigate crowded aisles safely
- Handle large carts efficiently
The larger the carts become, the harder these tasks get.
Employees have reportedly argued that overloaded Walmart pickup carts reduce visibility and make it difficult to safely move through busy stores. Customers have also complained in past incidents about collisions involving fulfillment carts.
Walmart Lawsuits Highlight Safety Risks
Safety concerns around Walmart order fulfillment carts are not new.
Over the years, Walmart has faced multiple lawsuits involving customers who said they were injured after being struck by carts operated by employees inside stores.
One notable lawsuit involved a 2020 incident that later resulted in a $1.2 million judgment against Walmart in 2024.
Legal pressure, combined with worker complaints and rising online order volume, likely contributed to Walmart’s latest cart policy changes.
The situation highlights the growing challenge facing major retailers as they balance faster online order fulfillment with customer and employee safety.
Walmart E-Commerce Growth Is Changing Stores
The Walmart store experience has changed dramatically over the last several years because of Walmart e-commerce expansion.
Traditional retail stores are increasingly functioning like mini distribution centers. Employees are no longer focused only on helping in-store shoppers. Many workers now spend most of their shifts fulfilling digital orders.
This shift has created new operational challenges including:
- Crowded store aisles
- Increased cart traffic
- Faster fulfillment expectations
- Higher worker stress
- More safety risks
Retail analysts say Walmart is facing the same operational pressures that companies like Amazon have dealt with for years inside warehouses and delivery systems.
The challenge is especially difficult because Walmart stores must simultaneously serve walk-in shoppers and online customers.
Walmart Uses Technology to Improve Efficiency
As Walmart tries to improve fulfillment speed without increasing safety risks, the company is also investing heavily in retail technology.
One growing focus is Walmart digital shelf labels, which help workers locate products faster inside stores. These electronic labels can reduce the amount of time workers spend searching aisles for items during online order picking.
Walmart has also expanded:
- Automated fulfillment systems
- AI-powered inventory tracking
- Faster delivery technology
- Store-based distribution operations
- Enhanced pickup infrastructure
The company hopes these improvements will increase Walmart order fulfillment efficiency while reducing strain on employees.
Walmart Balances Speed and Safety
The Walmart cart rule changes show how difficult it has become for retailers to balance speed, efficiency, worker productivity, and safety.
Customers increasingly expect:
- Fast grocery pickup
- Same-day delivery
- Real-time order updates
- Shorter wait times
At the same time, workers and safety advocates argue that faster operations should not create dangerous conditions inside stores.
The latest Walmart pickup cart changes suggest the company is trying to find a middle ground after worker backlash and ongoing safety concerns.
Walmart Cart Policy Could Continue Evolving
Retail experts believe Walmart may continue adjusting its fulfillment policies as online shopping demand keeps rising.
If Walmart online grocery growth continues at its current pace, stores may need:
- More dedicated fulfillment space
- Smaller carts
- Additional workers
- Automated picking systems
- Redesigned store layouts
The Walmart online pickup system has become one of the company’s biggest competitive advantages, but it also creates operational challenges that traditional retail stores were never originally designed to handle.
For now, Walmart’s updated six-bin cart limit and flexible push-or-pull guidance represent the company’s latest attempt to improve Walmart worker safety while maintaining fast online order fulfillment.
