Aldi's is the only chain that I specifically remember seeing those coin locked shopping carts/trolleys at here in the US. I know they are used other places, but it's been years since I was in those parts of the US and don't remember the other store chains that use them.

Almost every single store in SoCal uses shopping carts/trolleys with a "brake" on one of the wheels. If you pass outside of the IR perimeter of the store's designated property (which frequently doesn't include the outside parking spaces of their own parking lot, thereby making them a problem for all their customers,) one of the wheels locks so the cart/trolley is basically unuseable.

Many, but nowhere near most, of the carts/trolleys that don't use such technology of coin based locks, or wheel brakes end up being used by the people experiencing homelessness to cart what few possessions they have left. Most of their stuff has already been stolen by the cops and shoved into garbage trucks, or in the case of their pets, they get taken to the shelter and put down.

This isn't just true of California, but they at least try to not do this heartless crap to everyone, just the most vulnerable of us that can't remember schedules. Other states don't even give schedules. The cops and trash crews show up in the middle of the night, and your tent, all your possessions, probably all your important ID papers that you have, and your pets disappear. You now have to pay to get your pets back. All your property went into a garbage truck, was compacted, and went to the landfill. You don't get that stuff back.

Cruelty is the point in the US, and always has been.