Special needs-friendly shopping carts will soon be found at Target

LOS ANGELES -- A shopping cart specially designed to help parents and caregivers shop with special-needs children will soon be available at Target stores nationwide.

Caroline's Cart was inspired by a 6-year-old girl with Rett syndrome, a nervous system disorder that causes multiple disabilities. Caroline's mother, Drew Ann Long, came up with the design because she found it difficult to maneuver her daughter's wheelchair and traditional shopping cart when she went grocery shopping.

Target said the suggestion to look at Caroline's Cart came from one of its employees, who has a special-needs child.

"Caroline's Cart can be a game-changer for families, and we're excited to offer this for our guests across the country," said senior vice president Juan Galarraga. "Target is always looking for new ways to make guests feel welcome in our stores and give them a more comfortable shopping experience. We're always listening to both our guests and team members and making changes based their feedback."

Target has been testing the carts at select stores for the past year but they'll be available nationwide on March 19.

The carts are customized to match store color schemes, so those in Target stores will be red and stamped with the company's bullseye logo.

For more information on Caroline's Cart, visit www.carolinescart.com.

The Associated Press contributed to this report