How Lotus’s Malaysia turned abandoned shopping carts into a rewarding retail experience

Lotus’s Malaysia has rolled out a new behaviour-led retail campaign that turns a familliar everyday frustration into a rewarding moment for shoppers.

Developed with VML Malaysia, the "Drop cart draw" initiative tackles the long-standing issue of abandoned shopping carts by incentivising customers to return them, transforming a minor act of responsibility into tangible value.

Abandoned shopping carts have long been a familiar sight in supermarket car parks. From blocking parking bays to shopping mall entrances— the issue tends to create friction way before shoppers even enter the store, limiting cart availability and forcing customers to rely on baskets or carry items by hand. Over time, this reduces basket size, disrupts shopping flow, and adds operational strain for staff.

Rather than addressing the issue through the good ol' signage or enforcement, Lotus’s chose to rethink the problem through a behavioural lens. The campaign draws inspiration from the widely discussed "shopping cart theory", which suggests that returning a cart is a voluntary act of social responsibility precisely because it offers no immediate reward. "Drop cart draw" challenges that notion by introducing a simple incentive for socially responsible behaviour.\

Don't miss: FairPrice gets futuristic with smart carts, palm pay and AI-powered store ops

As part of the initiative, shoppers who return their carts to designated "Drop cart draw" bays receive a chance to win randomly generated rewards, including vouchers or loyalty points redeemable on their next purchase at Lotus’s. The system is enabled through RFID technology attached to shopping carts, which detects when carts are returned correctly and prompts a QR code reward that can be redeemed via the Lotus’s app.

By turning cart returns into a moment of value exchange, the campaign delivers benefits on multiple fronts. Shoppers gain unexpected rewards for a routine task, while Lotus’s improves parking flow, cart availability, and repeat visitation. The retailer also benefits commercially, as smoother pre-store experiences allow shoppers to complete their lists and make impulse purchases more easily.

“We saw abandoned carts not just as an operational issue, but as a behavioural opportunity,” said Phoecus Lee, executive creative director at VML Malaysia. “This idea was born from VML’s belief in a ‘Human First’ creative approach, taking on and coming from considering the pain point of the shopper at its purest form.”

Lee added that the campaign demonstrates how small behavioural nudges can create meaningful brand interactions. “Through creative alchemy, we've successfully flipped the script, transforming a point of friction into an incentivised experience that directly translates to better basket size and commercial success. When we design from a 'human first' perspective, even a trolley return can become a simple, connected brand experience that people actually enjoy.”

From the brand’s perspective, the initiative aligns closely with Lotus’s focus on improving everyday shopping experiences. Deon Lee, customer and marketing director at Lotus’s, said the campaign connects behavioural insight directly to business outcomes. “'Drop cart draw' is a clear example of how we are translating behavioural insights into commercial advantage,” he said. “By rewarding responsibility, we eliminate pre-store friction, ensure our shoppers can complete their lists and make impulse purchases, and enhance the overall brand experience.”

Lee added that the programme also demonstrates the value of strong agency collaboration. “It's a simple programme that drives loyalty and better business results and shows how partnering with the right creative and experience experts can connect everyday customer behaviours to long-term brand growth.”

Since its launch, the campaign has reportedly driven a significant uplift in sales, underscoring how thoughtful experience design can influence both shopper behaviour and commercial performance.

Over in Singapore, Fairprice has also been upping its cart game, doubling down on AI-led personalisation and automation with its new “Store of tomorrow” (SOT) programme. SOT is a sweeping tech roadmap aimed at transforming the in-store and omnichannel experience for Singapore shoppers.

Unveiled at NRF’s Big Show Asia Pacific 2025, the programme integrates generative AI, data analytics, automation and biometric payment into FairPrice’s physical and digital touchpoints. This includes its supermarkets and Cheers outlets to Kopitiam and its app.

The SOT programme will go live first at FPG’s new Punggol Digital District FairPrice Finest store, set to open in Q3 this year. Smart Carts, palm scan checkout, video analytics and a staff AI portal are among the features being piloted, with plans to test over 20 new digital solutions a year for the next three years.

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