Shinsegae Department Store said Monday it is introducing three types of shopping carts from Tuesday.

According to the retail giant, the three carts each have different features. One is designed for safekeeping bags. Another has a baby seat. The last type caters to small purchases.

The cart with a space to store purses is covered with water-proof fabric to prevent shoppers’ designer bags from getting scratched, Shinsegae said.

Shinsegae explained that customers had often held onto their expensive bags when grocery shopping instead of putting them in carts for fear of damage.

Shinsegae also reduced the size of small carts from the usual 100 liters to 30 liters, to cater to single households that purchase small amounts of groceries. The cart has space for an additional 30-liter plastic basket, enabling it to carry 60 liters of items.

The department store will introduce the carts at its stores in Myeong-dong, Gangnam and Yeongdeungpo in Seoul from Tuesday. They will be available at all branches in the second half of the year.

By Jo He-rim (herim@heraldcorp.com)