‘What is wrong with people?’: Coles reacts to public outrage over controversial images
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Dumping incidents might seem like isolated acts of negligence, but they can reveal much deeper issues about community responsibility and corporate accountability.
A recent case has sparked outrage and debate, drawing attention to the ongoing challenges of waste management and public spaces.
What unfolded next has left both residents and businesses scrambling for answers.
Major supermarkets in Australia have long grappled with the issue of shopping trolleys being abandoned in public spaces.
Coles faced fresh scrutiny this week when photos emerged of a Canberra park waterway filled with dumped trolleys.
The abandoned trolleys, reportedly taken from a Coles store at a nearby Westfield shopping centre, were spotted in John Knight Park, Belconnen.
Images shared on Monday showed around 20 trolleys piled in shallow water, highlighting a recurring problem that communities across Australia have struggled to address.
‘This is why we can’t have nice things,’ the local who shared the images wrote.
‘I’m not sure if it’s about parenting, but given my kids pick up rubbish when we spot it on an outing, I’m sure there’s some sense of being raised right that avoids this stuff later on.’
Dumping shopping trolleys is an offence under Canberra’s Litter Act 2004, with fines ranging from $60 to a maximum of $1,100.
While individuals are required to return trolleys, retailers like Coles are responsible for retrieving those abandoned in the community.
The photos sparked anger online, with locals expressing frustration and disappointment over the issue.
‘How sad to see this. Disgraceful,’ one person wrote.
‘What is wrong with people?’ another questioned.
A commenter noted the issue seemed uniquely Australian, writing, ‘Coming from Europe, I can only say this is as Australian as Vegemite. Nowhere else have I ever witnessed the absolute laziness of putting a trolley back in a bay five metres away, yet same time the absolute stubbornness to push it 2km down the road to ditch it in a storm drain or nature reserve.’
Others questioned why trolleys weren’t equipped with wheel locks to prevent them from being taken far from stores.
‘Why don’t they have wheel locks that stop turning after a certain distance? I found this out the hard way in Alice Springs many years ago,’ one person commented.
Coles responded to the incident, confirming it was unaware of the dumped trolleys in Belconnen until contacted on Monday.
‘Abandoned trolleys are a nuisance to local communities and we are continually working to make this better across all our stores,’ a Coles spokesperson said.
The supermarket giant stated its management strategy includes daily street runs to retrieve trolleys and employing coin lock and electronic wheel lock systems in some stores.
‘We spend a significant amount on maintaining [our trolley fleet] each year, some of which is the cost of having teams out on the road collecting trolleys that have been removed from our premises,’ the spokesperson explained.
Coles confirmed the trolleys in Belconnen had since been collected.
The problem of abandoned trolleys extends well beyond Canberra, often falling to community groups and volunteers to resolve.
Brisbane’s Ocean Crusaders team recovers an average of 300 trolleys annually from waterways across Brisbane, Sydney, and Melbourne.
According to founder Ian Thomson, metal trolleys can usually be salvaged, but Woolworths’ plastic trolleys—made from 74 recycled milk bottles—are often beyond repair.
‘That’s often being paid for with our groceries,’ he said, suggesting the cost ultimately impacts consumers.
Each trolley costs about $300 to replace, further adding to the burden borne by everyday Australians.
As the debate around abandoned trolleys continues, one question remains: can supermarkets and communities find a long-term solution to this growing issue, or will it keep falling through the cracks?
Share your opinion in the comments below.
A recent case has sparked outrage and debate, drawing attention to the ongoing challenges of waste management and public spaces.
What unfolded next has left both residents and businesses scrambling for answers.
Major supermarkets in Australia have long grappled with the issue of shopping trolleys being abandoned in public spaces.
Coles faced fresh scrutiny this week when photos emerged of a Canberra park waterway filled with dumped trolleys.
The abandoned trolleys, reportedly taken from a Coles store at a nearby Westfield shopping centre, were spotted in John Knight Park, Belconnen.
Images shared on Monday showed around 20 trolleys piled in shallow water, highlighting a recurring problem that communities across Australia have struggled to address.
‘This is why we can’t have nice things,’ the local who shared the images wrote.
‘I’m not sure if it’s about parenting, but given my kids pick up rubbish when we spot it on an outing, I’m sure there’s some sense of being raised right that avoids this stuff later on.’
Dumping shopping trolleys is an offence under Canberra’s Litter Act 2004, with fines ranging from $60 to a maximum of $1,100.
While individuals are required to return trolleys, retailers like Coles are responsible for retrieving those abandoned in the community.
The photos sparked anger online, with locals expressing frustration and disappointment over the issue.
‘How sad to see this. Disgraceful,’ one person wrote.
‘What is wrong with people?’ another questioned.
A commenter noted the issue seemed uniquely Australian, writing, ‘Coming from Europe, I can only say this is as Australian as Vegemite. Nowhere else have I ever witnessed the absolute laziness of putting a trolley back in a bay five metres away, yet same time the absolute stubbornness to push it 2km down the road to ditch it in a storm drain or nature reserve.’
Others questioned why trolleys weren’t equipped with wheel locks to prevent them from being taken far from stores.
‘Why don’t they have wheel locks that stop turning after a certain distance? I found this out the hard way in Alice Springs many years ago,’ one person commented.
Coles responded to the incident, confirming it was unaware of the dumped trolleys in Belconnen until contacted on Monday.
‘Abandoned trolleys are a nuisance to local communities and we are continually working to make this better across all our stores,’ a Coles spokesperson said.
The supermarket giant stated its management strategy includes daily street runs to retrieve trolleys and employing coin lock and electronic wheel lock systems in some stores.
‘We spend a significant amount on maintaining [our trolley fleet] each year, some of which is the cost of having teams out on the road collecting trolleys that have been removed from our premises,’ the spokesperson explained.
Coles confirmed the trolleys in Belconnen had since been collected.
The problem of abandoned trolleys extends well beyond Canberra, often falling to community groups and volunteers to resolve.
Brisbane’s Ocean Crusaders team recovers an average of 300 trolleys annually from waterways across Brisbane, Sydney, and Melbourne.
According to founder Ian Thomson, metal trolleys can usually be salvaged, but Woolworths’ plastic trolleys—made from 74 recycled milk bottles—are often beyond repair.
‘That’s often being paid for with our groceries,’ he said, suggesting the cost ultimately impacts consumers.
Each trolley costs about $300 to replace, further adding to the burden borne by everyday Australians.
Share your opinion in the comments below.
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