Forget pushing supermarket trolleys! These ‘grocery chauffeurs’ are taking over

When an Australian supermarket chain introduced a ‘grocery chauffeur’ service, some shoppers rolled their eyes.

Wasn’t this just customer service gone too far?

But now, with abandoned shopping trolleys clogging creeks, streets, and even ocean cliffs, that idea suddenly looks inspired.

Drakes Supermarkets’ new system keeps trolleys inside the store while a staff member loads a second trolley to deliver groceries straight to customers’ cars. It’s simple, efficient, and—most importantly—effective.

With more than 148,000 abandoned shopping trolleys reported across Australia in 2024—a 25 per cent spike from the year before—this fresh approach has proven its worth.

A crisis hiding in plain sight

Most Australians have had to dodge a rogue trolley on a morning walk, but the sheer scale of the problem is staggering.

An estimated one million trolleys are in circulation nationwide, disappearing from shopping centres at alarming rates.

Each trolley costs retailers around $250 to replace, and those costs inevitably trickle down to consumers.

The expense doesn’t stop there—collection and disposal fees can run high, and in New South Wales, retailers now face fines of $660 per abandoned trolley, with penalties reaching up to $13,750 for corporations under laws introduced in November 2022.

More than just an eyesore

For older Australians, this issue can become more than an inconvenience. Abandoned trolleys clutter footpaths, force pedestrians onto roads, and create obstacles around shopping centres.

They also block waterways, contributing to flash flooding when heavy rain hits—turning creeks into debris dams and suburban streets into hazards.

Drakes Area Supervisor Graham Bigland said while some customers complain they can carry their own bags, the results speak volumes: ‘because of it we don’t find too many (trolleys) around the place.’

Creative solutions across Australia

Around the country, councils are stepping up their efforts. Canterbury-Bankstown Council has developed artificial intelligence technology capable of detecting hundreds of abandoned trolleys a week, allowing faster recovery and fewer complaints.

In Liverpool, a new initiative is making headlines among seniors.

The council is trialling a program offering up to 500 personal two-wheeler shopping trolleys—nicknamed ‘Granny Trolleys’—at subsidised rates for pensioners and residents without private transport.

The goal is simple: give people their own trolleys, and they’ll stop taking supermarket ones home.

Smart technology joins the fight

High-tech trolleys have become a game-changer in some regions. Smart trolleys equipped with geofencing can lock their wheels automatically if they leave designated areas.

The system has already succeeded in Ipswich and Cairns, where abandoned trolleys are now a rare sight.

Meanwhile, the Snap Send Solve app has empowered residents to report abandoned trolleys directly to retailers, processing more than 6,000 reports across South Australia last month alone.

Since their launch, community reporting platforms such as Trolley Tracker have logged nearly three million reports of abandoned trolleys nationwide.

What this means for shoppers

Beyond cleaner streets, these programs are changing how Australians experience grocery shopping.

For seniors, the benefits are clear.

Fewer abandoned trolleys mean safer, clearer footpaths and less risk of injury. Retailers are investing more in hands-on customer service, taking inspiration from Drakes’ success.

And by keeping trolley losses low, supermarkets can help prevent replacement costs from driving grocery prices even higher.

While Drakes is tackling abandoned trolleys with innovation, the supermarket is also using smart tech in another surprising way—by tracking pricey meat to stop shoplifters in their tracks.

Watch how this clever GPS trick is changing the game for everyday shoppers.

If you found Drakes’ ‘grocery chauffeur’ service inspiring, you’ll love another story about how a simple supermarket innovation can transform everyday shopping experiences.

It’s a reminder that thoughtful design and small adjustments can make a world of difference for customers who value comfort, independence, and accessibility.

Here’s how one major retailer made a powerful change that helped shoppers regain confidence and freedom while doing their weekly groceries.

Read more: ‘This cart gave me my independence back’: How one small change in Coles helps wheelchair users shop alone

Could a little extra help with your groceries really be the key to cleaner streets and safer suburbs?