Sometimes when you finish your grocery shopping, you're eager to get home and put your feet up. So, you leave your trolley where it is and make a beeline for the car. We've all been guilty of it at least once… Well, maybe not everyone but surely most people.

Abandoned shopping trolleys are an absolute pain – not only are they an eyesore, but they can also pose a danger to passers-by if they're left in the middle of a footpath or car park. They're also very costly for local governments to collect and return to supermarkets.

As a result, the local government council will now impose a new rule on your favourite supermarket stores next week - and even YOU could face a $660 fine if you’re not careful. This new rule is an attempt to lower the trolley abandonment rates in public – an ongoing problem that costs the local government a staggering $17 million a year.

Abandoned trolleys cost the local government millions per year to clean up. Credit: Yahoo! News

As of writing, shoppers at retail giants Coles and Woolies face fines starting at $220 for abandoning a single trolley. However, after an apparent wide consensus, this amount will triple starting November 1 (that’s tomorrow, folks). This means that individual violators will now face a staggering $660 fine if they still continue abandoning their trolleys in public spaces.

If the items obstruct or endanger the safety of others, violators will face a court-imposed penalty of up to $2,750. Ouch.

Meanwhile, businesses will also be fined a whopping $1,320 for a single trolley - that’s triple the amount of the previous fine. For serious offences, the penalty for corporations could rise to $13,750.

The hefty fines were made as a way to clean up public spaces around NSW, including streets and parks.

Wendy Tuckerman, the Minister for Local Government, has welcomed the new rule. She said: ‘These new laws will not only save councils time and money, [but] they’ll also ensure public spaces are safer, more accessible, and more enjoyable for our communities.’

Some people say that supermarket giants need to be more proactive in solving trolley issues. Credit: Facebook

In her statement, Mrs Tuckerman said that in developing these new laws, extensive consultation was done with various stakeholders. This included the local government, the retail industry, different advocacy groups, state agencies, and of course, the community.

How this works is that retailers will first be notified of the abandoned trolleys in public. The retailers will then have one week to return the trolley. If they fail to comply, they risk getting fined.

For every additional trolley found in the same area (up to 11 trolleys), ten per cent (or $66) will be added to the original fine.

Some exemptions are in place for small businesses with less than 25 trolleys.

Mrs Tuckerman stated that ‘for the next six months, warnings will be issued for the unattended property in most cases, rather than fines’. This is sort of a grace period to give retailers enough time to adjust to the new situation.

‘We’ve also listened to retailer concerns and introduced more flexibility around requirements to collect abandoned trolleys’, she said.

These rules will also apply to boat trailers, unregistered cars, caravans and trailers, and personal watercraft. It will also apply to owners with animals that stray on neighbour’s property or public places. This final point predominantly refers to stock animals.

Key Takeaways

• NSW supermarkets will face a $1,320 fine from next week under a new act for leaving a single abandoned shopping trolley in public.
• Shoppers at retailers like Coles or Woolies already face a current fine of $220 for one abandoned trolley but this will triple to $660 from November 1.
• The new rules will also apply to boat trailers, unregistered cars, trailers, caravans, share bikes, and personal watercrafts.
• This will also apply to owners of animals (other than cats and dogs) that stray on the neighbour's property and onto public roads or places.

Members, how do you feel about this new law? Do you agree that it will help solve the abandoned trolley issue? Share with us your thoughts in the comments!

 

[Dennis]

Nothing more annoys me than coming back to my car and finding an empty trolley close by especially on windy days, but in some cases, I have been in supermarkets where there have been few trollies' return spaces and far away from the actual car parking, I know this is no excuse but it does cause problems

 

[LaniK]

I always return my empty trolley as I figure it was a lot heavier to get it to my car so its pretty easy to put it back where it belongs for the next person.

 

[Thecheesequeen]

I try to park as close to a trolley bay as I can, even if it means I have to park further from the store entrance.

 

[Staffordshire Whippet]

Sometimes when you finish your grocery shopping, you're eager to get home and put your feet up. So, you leave your trolley where it is and make a beeline for the car. We've all been guilty of it at least once… Well, maybe not everyone but surely most people.

Abandoned shopping trolleys are an absolute pain – not only are they an eyesore, but they can also pose a danger to passers-by if they're left in the middle of a footpath or car park. They're also very costly for local governments to collect and return to supermarkets.

As a result, the local government council will now impose a new rule on your favourite supermarket stores next week - and even YOU could face a $660 fine if you’re not careful. This new rule is an attempt to lower the trolley abandonment rates in public – an ongoing problem that costs the local government a staggering $17 million a year.

View attachment 8082

Abandoned trolleys cost the local government millions per year to clean up. Credit: Yahoo! News

As of writing, shoppers at retail giants Coles and Woolies face fines starting at $220 for abandoning a single trolley. However, after an apparent wide consensus, this amount will triple starting November 1 (that’s tomorrow, folks). This means that individual violators will now face a staggering $660 fine if they still continue abandoning their trolleys in public spaces.

If the items obstruct or endanger the safety of others, violators will face a court-imposed penalty of up to $2,750. Ouch.

Meanwhile, businesses will also be fined a whopping $1,320 for a single trolley - that’s triple the amount of the previous fine. For serious offences, the penalty for corporations could rise to $13,750.

The hefty fines were made as a way to clean up public spaces around NSW, including streets and parks.

Wendy Tuckerman, the Minister for Local Government, has welcomed the new rule. She said: ‘These new laws will not only save councils time and money, [but] they’ll also ensure public spaces are safer, more accessible, and more enjoyable for our communities.’

View attachment 8083

Some people say that supermarket giants need to be more proactive in solving trolley issues. Credit: Facebook

In her statement, Mrs Tuckerman said that in developing these new laws, extensive consultation was done with various stakeholders. This included the local government, the retail industry, different advocacy groups, state agencies, and of course, the community.

How this works is that retailers will first be notified of the abandoned trolleys in public. The retailers will then have one week to return the trolley. If they fail to comply, they risk getting fined.

For every additional trolley found in the same area (up to 11 trolleys), ten per cent (or $66) will be added to the original fine.

Some exemptions are in place for small businesses with less than 25 trolleys.

Mrs Tuckerman stated that ‘for the next six months, warnings will be issued for the unattended property in most cases, rather than fines’. This is sort of a grace period to give retailers enough time to adjust to the new situation.

‘We’ve also listened to retailer concerns and introduced more flexibility around requirements to collect abandoned trolleys’, she said.

These rules will also apply to boat trailers, unregistered cars, caravans and trailers, and personal watercraft. It will also apply to owners with animals that stray on neighbour’s property or public places. This final point predominantly refers to stock animals.

Key Takeaways

• NSW supermarkets will face a $1,320 fine from next week under a new act for leaving a single abandoned shopping trolley in public.
• Shoppers at retailers like Coles or Woolies already face a current fine of $220 for one abandoned trolley but this will triple to $660 from November 1.
• The new rules will also apply to boat trailers, unregistered cars, trailers, caravans, share bikes, and personal watercrafts.
• This will also apply to owners of animals (other than cats and dogs) that stray on the neighbour's property and onto public roads or places.

Members, how do you feel about this new law? Do you agree that it will help solve the abandoned trolley issue? Share with us your thoughts in the comments!

Once again, the NSW government has chosen to use a tank to crack a walnut. I had the misfortune of working, for over a decade, as Impounding Officer for a 'profile' Council and abandoned trolley enforcement was an ongoing nightmare in terms of labour, time, storage space and cost; funny enough, though, we never had a problem in respect of Aldi! If the geniuses in Parliament mandated the conversion of all trolleys to a coin-release system like Aldi's, this problem would pretty much disappear, freeing up Council labour for things that actually matter

 

[Harimau01]

Sometimes when you finish your grocery shopping, you're eager to get home and put your feet up. So, you leave your trolley where it is and make a beeline for the car. We've all been guilty of it at least once… Well, maybe not everyone but surely most people.

Abandoned shopping trolleys are an absolute pain – not only are they an eyesore, but they can also pose a danger to passers-by if they're left in the middle of a footpath or car park. They're also very costly for local governments to collect and return to supermarkets.

As a result, the local government council will now impose a new rule on your favourite supermarket stores next week - and even YOU could face a $660 fine if you’re not careful. This new rule is an attempt to lower the trolley abandonment rates in public – an ongoing problem that costs the local government a staggering $17 million a year.

View attachment 8082

Abandoned trolleys cost the local government millions per year to clean up. Credit: Yahoo! News

As of writing, shoppers at retail giants Coles and Woolies face fines starting at $220 for abandoning a single trolley. However, after an apparent wide consensus, this amount will triple starting November 1 (that’s tomorrow, folks). This means that individual violators will now face a staggering $660 fine if they still continue abandoning their trolleys in public spaces.

If the items obstruct or endanger the safety of others, violators will face a court-imposed penalty of up to $2,750. Ouch.

Meanwhile, businesses will also be fined a whopping $1,320 for a single trolley - that’s triple the amount of the previous fine. For serious offences, the penalty for corporations could rise to $13,750.

The hefty fines were made as a way to clean up public spaces around NSW, including streets and parks.

Wendy Tuckerman, the Minister for Local Government, has welcomed the new rule. She said: ‘These new laws will not only save councils time and money, [but] they’ll also ensure public spaces are safer, more accessible, and more enjoyable for our communities.’

View attachment 8083

Some people say that supermarket giants need to be more proactive in solving trolley issues. Credit: Facebook

In her statement, Mrs Tuckerman said that in developing these new laws, extensive consultation was done with various stakeholders. This included the local government, the retail industry, different advocacy groups, state agencies, and of course, the community.

How this works is that retailers will first be notified of the abandoned trolleys in public. The retailers will then have one week to return the trolley. If they fail to comply, they risk getting fined.

For every additional trolley found in the same area (up to 11 trolleys), ten per cent (or $66) will be added to the original fine.

Some exemptions are in place for small businesses with less than 25 trolleys.

Mrs Tuckerman stated that ‘for the next six months, warnings will be issued for the unattended property in most cases, rather than fines’. This is sort of a grace period to give retailers enough time to adjust to the new situation.

‘We’ve also listened to retailer concerns and introduced more flexibility around requirements to collect abandoned trolleys’, she said.

These rules will also apply to boat trailers, unregistered cars, caravans and trailers, and personal watercraft. It will also apply to owners with animals that stray on neighbour’s property or public places. This final point predominantly refers to stock animals.

Key Takeaways

• NSW supermarkets will face a $1,320 fine from next week under a new act for leaving a single abandoned shopping trolley in public.
• Shoppers at retailers like Coles or Woolies already face a current fine of $220 for one abandoned trolley but this will triple to $660 from November 1.
• The new rules will also apply to boat trailers, unregistered cars, trailers, caravans, share bikes, and personal watercrafts.
• This will also apply to owners of animals (other than cats and dogs) that stray on the neighbour's property and onto public roads or places.

Members, how do you feel about this new law? Do you agree that it will help solve the abandoned trolley issue? Share with us your thoughts in the comments!

I think this a good move. In Victoria, where I live, you have to insert a gold coin into a lock to free the trolley. You get this back when you return the trolley to its bay. This didn't seem to be the system when I was recently working in Sydney. At least this system forces some of the uncaring to do the right thing.

 

[Robyn M for Mary]

I agree with Staffordshire Whippet. I have not seen any runaway Aldi trolleys at or near my local Aldi store since it was built. Coin operated trolleys is the way to go.

 

[BabsL]

Sometimes when you finish your grocery shopping, you're eager to get home and put your feet up. So, you leave your trolley where it is and make a beeline for the car. We've all been guilty of it at least once… Well, maybe not everyone but surely most people.

Abandoned shopping trolleys are an absolute pain – not only are they an eyesore, but they can also pose a danger to passers-by if they're left in the middle of a footpath or car park. They're also very costly for local governments to collect and return to supermarkets.

As a result, the local government council will now impose a new rule on your favourite supermarket stores next week - and even YOU could face a $660 fine if you’re not careful. This new rule is an attempt to lower the trolley abandonment rates in public – an ongoing problem that costs the local government a staggering $17 million a year.

View attachment 8082

Abandoned trolleys cost the local government millions per year to clean up. Credit: Yahoo! News

As of writing, shoppers at retail giants Coles and Woolies face fines starting at $220 for abandoning a single trolley. However, after an apparent wide consensus, this amount will triple starting November 1 (that’s tomorrow, folks). This means that individual violators will now face a staggering $660 fine if they still continue abandoning their trolleys in public spaces.

If the items obstruct or endanger the safety of others, violators will face a court-imposed penalty of up to $2,750. Ouch.

Meanwhile, businesses will also be fined a whopping $1,320 for a single trolley - that’s triple the amount of the previous fine. For serious offences, the penalty for corporations could rise to $13,750.

The hefty fines were made as a way to clean up public spaces around NSW, including streets and parks.

Wendy Tuckerman, the Minister for Local Government, has welcomed the new rule. She said: ‘These new laws will not only save councils time and money, [but] they’ll also ensure public spaces are safer, more accessible, and more enjoyable for our communities.’

View attachment 8083

Some people say that supermarket giants need to be more proactive in solving trolley issues. Credit: Facebook

In her statement, Mrs Tuckerman said that in developing these new laws, extensive consultation was done with various stakeholders. This included the local government, the retail industry, different advocacy groups, state agencies, and of course, the community.

How this works is that retailers will first be notified of the abandoned trolleys in public. The retailers will then have one week to return the trolley. If they fail to comply, they risk getting fined.

For every additional trolley found in the same area (up to 11 trolleys), ten per cent (or $66) will be added to the original fine.

Some exemptions are in place for small businesses with less than 25 trolleys.

Mrs Tuckerman stated that ‘for the next six months, warnings will be issued for the unattended property in most cases, rather than fines’. This is sort of a grace period to give retailers enough time to adjust to the new situation.

‘We’ve also listened to retailer concerns and introduced more flexibility around requirements to collect abandoned trolleys’, she said.

These rules will also apply to boat trailers, unregistered cars, caravans and trailers, and personal watercraft. It will also apply to owners with animals that stray on neighbour’s property or public places. This final point predominantly refers to stock animals.

Key Takeaways

• NSW supermarkets will face a $1,320 fine from next week under a new act for leaving a single abandoned shopping trolley in public.
• Shoppers at retailers like Coles or Woolies already face a current fine of $220 for one abandoned trolley but this will triple to $660 from November 1.
• The new rules will also apply to boat trailers, unregistered cars, trailers, caravans, share bikes, and personal watercrafts.
• This will also apply to owners of animals (other than cats and dogs) that stray on the neighbour's property and onto public roads or places.

Members, how do you feel about this new law? Do you agree that it will help solve the abandoned trolley issue? Share with us your thoughts in the comments!

Supermarkets used to promote they would give you a small $reward for advising them where ‘stray’ trolleys were located - at stations, on naturestrips, in parks, by the beach, behind flats etc.
Every time I rang and reported these MIA trolleys, I’ve never received anything, and it took the supermarket over a week to collect them - sometimes they did not bother to collect at all.
That was why supermarkets brought in the Chained Coin deposit trolleys - to get yr money back you had to return it.
Now I see quite a few of the smaller shallow basket trolleys around the suburbs - no Chain-Coin Deposit needed to use them!

 

[adorableagnes]

Sometimes when you finish your grocery shopping, you're eager to get home and put your feet up. So, you leave your trolley where it is and make a beeline for the car. We've all been guilty of it at least once… Well, maybe not everyone but surely most people.

Abandoned shopping trolleys are an absolute pain – not only are they an eyesore, but they can also pose a danger to passers-by if they're left in the middle of a footpath or car park. They're also very costly for local governments to collect and return to supermarkets.

As a result, the local government council will now impose a new rule on your favourite supermarket stores next week - and even YOU could face a $660 fine if you’re not careful. This new rule is an attempt to lower the trolley abandonment rates in public – an ongoing problem that costs the local government a staggering $17 million a year.

View attachment 8082

Abandoned trolleys cost the local government millions per year to clean up. Credit: Yahoo! News

As of writing, shoppers at retail giants Coles and Woolies face fines starting at $220 for abandoning a single trolley. However, after an apparent wide consensus, this amount will triple starting November 1 (that’s tomorrow, folks). This means that individual violators will now face a staggering $660 fine if they still continue abandoning their trolleys in public spaces.

If the items obstruct or endanger the safety of others, violators will face a court-imposed penalty of up to $2,750. Ouch.

Meanwhile, businesses will also be fined a whopping $1,320 for a single trolley - that’s triple the amount of the previous fine. For serious offences, the penalty for corporations could rise to $13,750.

The hefty fines were made as a way to clean up public spaces around NSW, including streets and parks.

Wendy Tuckerman, the Minister for Local Government, has welcomed the new rule. She said: ‘These new laws will not only save councils time and money, [but] they’ll also ensure public spaces are safer, more accessible, and more enjoyable for our communities.’

View attachment 8083

Some people say that supermarket giants need to be more proactive in solving trolley issues. Credit: Facebook

In her statement, Mrs Tuckerman said that in developing these new laws, extensive consultation was done with various stakeholders. This included the local government, the retail industry, different advocacy groups, state agencies, and of course, the community.

How this works is that retailers will first be notified of the abandoned trolleys in public. The retailers will then have one week to return the trolley. If they fail to comply, they risk getting fined.

For every additional trolley found in the same area (up to 11 trolleys), ten per cent (or $66) will be added to the original fine.

Some exemptions are in place for small businesses with less than 25 trolleys.

Mrs Tuckerman stated that ‘for the next six months, warnings will be issued for the unattended property in most cases, rather than fines’. This is sort of a grace period to give retailers enough time to adjust to the new situation.

‘We’ve also listened to retailer concerns and introduced more flexibility around requirements to collect abandoned trolleys’, she said.

These rules will also apply to boat trailers, unregistered cars, caravans and trailers, and personal watercraft. It will also apply to owners with animals that stray on neighbour’s property or public places. This final point predominantly refers to stock animals.

Key Takeaways

• NSW supermarkets will face a $1,320 fine from next week under a new act for leaving a single abandoned shopping trolley in public.
• Shoppers at retailers like Coles or Woolies already face a current fine of $220 for one abandoned trolley but this will triple to $660 from November 1.
• The new rules will also apply to boat trailers, unregistered cars, trailers, caravans, share bikes, and personal watercrafts.
• This will also apply to owners of animals (other than cats and dogs) that stray on the neighbour's property and onto public roads or places.

Members, how do you feel about this new law? Do you agree that it will help solve the abandoned trolley issue? Share with us your thoughts in the comments!

Another thought bubble. If a trolley is abandoned in a public place or even the shopping centre carpark how will they find the perpetrator?

 

[Tipsy]

Sometimes when you finish your grocery shopping, you're eager to get home and put your feet up. So, you leave your trolley where it is and make a beeline for the car. We've all been guilty of it at least once… Well, maybe not everyone but surely most people.

Abandoned shopping trolleys are an absolute pain – not only are they an eyesore, but they can also pose a danger to passers-by if they're left in the middle of a footpath or car park. They're also very costly for local governments to collect and return to supermarkets.

As a result, the local government council will now impose a new rule on your favourite supermarket stores next week - and even YOU could face a $660 fine if you’re not careful. This new rule is an attempt to lower the trolley abandonment rates in public – an ongoing problem that costs the local government a staggering $17 million a year.

View attachment 8082

Abandoned trolleys cost the local government millions per year to clean up. Credit: Yahoo! News

As of writing, shoppers at retail giants Coles and Woolies face fines starting at $220 for abandoning a single trolley. However, after an apparent wide consensus, this amount will triple starting November 1 (that’s tomorrow, folks). This means that individual violators will now face a staggering $660 fine if they still continue abandoning their trolleys in public spaces.

If the items obstruct or endanger the safety of others, violators will face a court-imposed penalty of up to $2,750. Ouch.

Meanwhile, businesses will also be fined a whopping $1,320 for a single trolley - that’s triple the amount of the previous fine. For serious offences, the penalty for corporations could rise to $13,750.

The hefty fines were made as a way to clean up public spaces around NSW, including streets and parks.

Wendy Tuckerman, the Minister for Local Government, has welcomed the new rule. She said: ‘These new laws will not only save councils time and money, [but] they’ll also ensure public spaces are safer, more accessible, and more enjoyable for our communities.’

View attachment 8083

Some people say that supermarket giants need to be more proactive in solving trolley issues. Credit: Facebook

In her statement, Mrs Tuckerman said that in developing these new laws, extensive consultation was done with various stakeholders. This included the local government, the retail industry, different advocacy groups, state agencies, and of course, the community.

How this works is that retailers will first be notified of the abandoned trolleys in public. The retailers will then have one week to return the trolley. If they fail to comply, they risk getting fined.

For every additional trolley found in the same area (up to 11 trolleys), ten per cent (or $66) will be added to the original fine.

Some exemptions are in place for small businesses with less than 25 trolleys.

Mrs Tuckerman stated that ‘for the next six months, warnings will be issued for the unattended property in most cases, rather than fines’. This is sort of a grace period to give retailers enough time to adjust to the new situation.

‘We’ve also listened to retailer concerns and introduced more flexibility around requirements to collect abandoned trolleys’, she said.

These rules will also apply to boat trailers, unregistered cars, caravans and trailers, and personal watercraft. It will also apply to owners with animals that stray on neighbour’s property or public places. This final point predominantly refers to stock animals.

Key Takeaways

• NSW supermarkets will face a $1,320 fine from next week under a new act for leaving a single abandoned shopping trolley in public.
• Shoppers at retailers like Coles or Woolies already face a current fine of $220 for one abandoned trolley but this will triple to $660 from November 1.
• The new rules will also apply to boat trailers, unregistered cars, trailers, caravans, share bikes, and personal watercrafts.
• This will also apply to owners of animals (other than cats and dogs) that stray on the neighbour's property and onto public roads or places.

Members, how do you feel about this new law? Do you agree that it will help solve the abandoned trolley issue? Share with us your thoughts in the comments!

All supermarket trolleys should require a fee/$2 for its use like Aldi have, that may encourage people to return them to where they got it from so as to retrieve their coin... Unfortunately some crims have found way of either getting the coin out and leaving the trolley where it is or using something else other than the coin like a key..... same old story "locks are only there for the honest people"

 

[Ronloby]

Sometimes when you finish your grocery shopping, you're eager to get home and put your feet up. So, you leave your trolley where it is and make a beeline for the car. We've all been guilty of it at least once… Well, maybe not everyone but surely most people.

Abandoned shopping trolleys are an absolute pain – not only are they an eyesore, but they can also pose a danger to passers-by if they're left in the middle of a footpath or car park. They're also very costly for local governments to collect and return to supermarkets.

As a result, the local government council will now impose a new rule on your favourite supermarket stores next week - and even YOU could face a $660 fine if you’re not careful. This new rule is an attempt to lower the trolley abandonment rates in public – an ongoing problem that costs the local government a staggering $17 million a year.

View attachment 8082

Abandoned trolleys cost the local government millions per year to clean up. Credit: Yahoo! News

As of writing, shoppers at retail giants Coles and Woolies face fines starting at $220 for abandoning a single trolley. However, after an apparent wide consensus, this amount will triple starting November 1 (that’s tomorrow, folks). This means that individual violators will now face a staggering $660 fine if they still continue abandoning their trolleys in public spaces.

If the items obstruct or endanger the safety of others, violators will face a court-imposed penalty of up to $2,750. Ouch.

Meanwhile, businesses will also be fined a whopping $1,320 for a single trolley - that’s triple the amount of the previous fine. For serious offences, the penalty for corporations could rise to $13,750.

The hefty fines were made as a way to clean up public spaces around NSW, including streets and parks.

Wendy Tuckerman, the Minister for Local Government, has welcomed the new rule. She said: ‘These new laws will not only save councils time and money, [but] they’ll also ensure public spaces are safer, more accessible, and more enjoyable for our communities.’

View attachment 8083

Some people say that supermarket giants need to be more proactive in solving trolley issues. Credit: Facebook

In her statement, Mrs Tuckerman said that in developing these new laws, extensive consultation was done with various stakeholders. This included the local government, the retail industry, different advocacy groups, state agencies, and of course, the community.

How this works is that retailers will first be notified of the abandoned trolleys in public. The retailers will then have one week to return the trolley. If they fail to comply, they risk getting fined.

For every additional trolley found in the same area (up to 11 trolleys), ten per cent (or $66) will be added to the original fine.

Some exemptions are in place for small businesses with less than 25 trolleys.

Mrs Tuckerman stated that ‘for the next six months, warnings will be issued for the unattended property in most cases, rather than fines’. This is sort of a grace period to give retailers enough time to adjust to the new situation.

‘We’ve also listened to retailer concerns and introduced more flexibility around requirements to collect abandoned trolleys’, she said.

These rules will also apply to boat trailers, unregistered cars, caravans and trailers, and personal watercraft. It will also apply to owners with animals that stray on neighbour’s property or public places. This final point predominantly refers to stock animals.

Key Takeaways

• NSW supermarkets will face a $1,320 fine from next week under a new act for leaving a single abandoned shopping trolley in public.
• Shoppers at retailers like Coles or Woolies already face a current fine of $220 for one abandoned trolley but this will triple to $660 from November 1.
• The new rules will also apply to boat trailers, unregistered cars, trailers, caravans, share bikes, and personal watercrafts.
• This will also apply to owners of animals (other than cats and dogs) that stray on the neighbour's property and onto public roads or places.

Members, how do you feel about this new law? Do you agree that it will help solve the abandoned trolley issue? Share with us your thoughts in the comments!

 

[Ronloby]

If one is too lazy to return a trolley then one deserves to be fined. I have seen people pushing a trolley full of shopping streets away from the supermarket, so I bet it will be left when it is unloaded near their house.

 

[Cazad]

Yes abandoned trolleys are annoying. I’ve reported many over the years. It’s all well and good to say bring in ‘coin’ trolleys everywhere but we are fast becoming a cashless society so how would that work? If we go the Aldi way and have a token it needs to be made to be inserted in the slot while still on the ring. Arthritic hands have difficult opening small things.

 

[Rosscoesmiff]

I’m guessing that this only applies to trolleys taken out of the shopping centres. How about fining or charging with theft of the trolleys if taken away from the shops?

 

[Elbe]

There are those who return shopping trolleys & those who don't - and it always says a lot about a person in my experience.

 

[maggiej]

I am glad something maybe getting done with those trolleys. Taking trolleys and abandoning them miles from shops along the streets and in bushes is STEALING and LITTERING

 

[Wandiwa]

In my area, the trolley's are pilfered after the local pub closes, I'm assuming to get drunken friends (or maybe the new girlfriend) home from the pub. Rangers need to be hiding near the pub after closing time. Never gonna happen.

 

[Wandiwa]

What can I say ... I live in a rough neighbourhood .........

 

[Caravan2022]

Sometimes when you finish your grocery shopping, you're eager to get home and put your feet up. So, you leave your trolley where it is and make a beeline for the car. We've all been guilty of it at least once… Well, maybe not everyone but surely most people.

Abandoned shopping trolleys are an absolute pain – not only are they an eyesore, but they can also pose a danger to passers-by if they're left in the middle of a footpath or car park. They're also very costly for local governments to collect and return to supermarkets.

As a result, the local government council will now impose a new rule on your favourite supermarket stores next week - and even YOU could face a $660 fine if you’re not careful. This new rule is an attempt to lower the trolley abandonment rates in public – an ongoing problem that costs the local government a staggering $17 million a year.

View attachment 8082

Abandoned trolleys cost the local government millions per year to clean up. Credit: Yahoo! News

As of writing, shoppers at retail giants Coles and Woolies face fines starting at $220 for abandoning a single trolley. However, after an apparent wide consensus, this amount will triple starting November 1 (that’s tomorrow, folks). This means that individual violators will now face a staggering $660 fine if they still continue abandoning their trolleys in public spaces.

If the items obstruct or endanger the safety of others, violators will face a court-imposed penalty of up to $2,750. Ouch.

Meanwhile, businesses will also be fined a whopping $1,320 for a single trolley - that’s triple the amount of the previous fine. For serious offences, the penalty for corporations could rise to $13,750.

The hefty fines were made as a way to clean up public spaces around NSW, including streets and parks.

Wendy Tuckerman, the Minister for Local Government, has welcomed the new rule. She said: ‘These new laws will not only save councils time and money, [but] they’ll also ensure public spaces are safer, more accessible, and more enjoyable for our communities.’

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Some people say that supermarket giants need to be more proactive in solving trolley issues. Credit: Facebook

In her statement, Mrs Tuckerman said that in developing these new laws, extensive consultation was done with various stakeholders. This included the local government, the retail industry, different advocacy groups, state agencies, and of course, the community.

How this works is that retailers will first be notified of the abandoned trolleys in public. The retailers will then have one week to return the trolley. If they fail to comply, they risk getting fined.

For every additional trolley found in the same area (up to 11 trolleys), ten per cent (or $66) will be added to the original fine.

Some exemptions are in place for small businesses with less than 25 trolleys.

Mrs Tuckerman stated that ‘for the next six months, warnings will be issued for the unattended property in most cases, rather than fines’. This is sort of a grace period to give retailers enough time to adjust to the new situation.

‘We’ve also listened to retailer concerns and introduced more flexibility around requirements to collect abandoned trolleys’, she said.

These rules will also apply to boat trailers, unregistered cars, caravans and trailers, and personal watercraft. It will also apply to owners with animals that stray on neighbour’s property or public places. This final point predominantly refers to stock animals.

Key Takeaways

• NSW supermarkets will face a $1,320 fine from next week under a new act for leaving a single abandoned shopping trolley in public.
• Shoppers at retailers like Coles or Woolies already face a current fine of $220 for one abandoned trolley but this will triple to $660 from November 1.
• The new rules will also apply to boat trailers, unregistered cars, trailers, caravans, share bikes, and personal watercrafts.
• This will also apply to owners of animals (other than cats and dogs) that stray on the neighbour's property and onto public roads or places.

Members, how do you feel about this new law? Do you agree that it will help solve the abandoned trolley issue? Share with us your thoughts in the comments!

Hi I think there should be a hotline to call into about abandoning trolleys and pay a feee for finding and reporting them I walk about 6 kilometres every morning weather permitting and I can not tell you how many trolleys I see

 

[Jen77au]

If one is too lazy to return a trolley then one deserves to be fined. I have seen people pushing a trolley full of shopping streets away from the supermarket, so I bet it will be left when it is unloaded near their house.

We have a local elderly gentleman who obviously doesn’t drive. He takes his shopping home in his trolley but brings it back the next time he heads up the street. I have also seen him collecting other trolleys on his return journey!