But people don’t often put their hands in the basket, and that’s where you get a lot of contamination.
A huge amount of e coli is found on basket handles, because people don’t wash their hands after leaving the toilet, and then push the carts through the market. They are quite filthy, like money - but who washes their money?
Little ones sit in the cart and put their hands on the handle. My son at 6 mos, got his very first really vicious infection many years ago when I took him through the market and he held onto the handle of the cart while seated. Ended up in the ER. I would wipe down those handles if you have a little one.
Roughly 50% of men and ~33% of women do not wash their hands after going using the toilet, #1 or #2.
Think about that the next time you reach for a coffee stirrer at work.