Woolworths shoppers slam car park behaviour showing '"I don't care" attitude'

As we navigate supermarket aisles and fill our trolleys with weekly essentials, it's easy to overlook the journey of our trusty shopping companion after unloading groceries.

However, a recent incident has brought to light a 'shameful' act that caused frustration among shoppers.

This often-called-out attitude also costs supermarkets and customers millions of dollars.


A man accompanying his elderly mother went to a Woolworths store in Woodvale Shopping Centre.

Upon returning to the car park, they spotted a Woolworths shopping trolley carelessly abandoned between their vehicle and another.

The frustration was palpable as the trolley return bay was just a short walk away.


compressed-pexels-trolley.jpeg
Supermarket trolleys are often left unattended at car parks after use, which could cause major issues. Image Credit: Pexels/Pixabay


'My elderly disabled mother couldn't get into the car. Whoever you are, you should be ashamed of yourself,' the man lamented.

Abandoned shopping trolleys are not just a matter of inconvenience—they are also a costly nuisance.

The man echoed the sentiments of many Australians who encountered this 'common problem in all shopping areas'.

'This has happened to me countless times,' another shopper said.

'It's just utter laziness and an "I don't care" attitude.'


Trolleys left astray in car parks could block parking spaces, impede traffic flow, and cause car damage.

Beyond the confines of the car park, these trolleys could also find their way into local parks and waterways, becoming an environmental hazard.

Ocean Crusaders member Ian Thomson highlighted that replacing these trolleys trickles down to consumers through increasing grocery prices.

Woolworths has responded to the widespread concern.

'We understand abandoned trolleys can be a nuisance, and that's why we invest millions in collection services and have additional measures in place to help mitigate their impact on the community,' a Woolworths spokesperson shared.

Additionally, Woolworths introduced an anti-theft locking mechanism, immobilising the trolley once it leaves a predefined perimeter.


Another supermarket giant, Coles, has adopted a similar approach to combat the growing trolley problem.

Despite these efforts, the problem continues to persist.

It's a stark reminder of the collective responsibility we share as shoppers.

Returning a shopping trolley to its designated place could save millions of dollars and be used for improving services and keeping prices low.

So, next time you're at Woolworths or any supermarket, spare a thought for where your trolley ends up.

It's not just about avoiding a 'trolley fine' or the inconvenience it may cause to another shopper; it's about the broader impact on the environment and our wallets.
Key Takeaways

  • A frustrated shopper highlighted the issue of abandoned shopping trolleys in a Woolworths car park, which impeded his elderly mother's accessibility.
  • Abandoned trolleys not only cause inconvenience but could also lead to costs associated with collection and replacement.
  • Woolworths spent millions on combating the problem by doing 'regular sweeps' and installing anti-theft locking mechanisms on trolleys.
  • The act of abandoning trolleys has been a common issue across shopping centres, often seen as a disregard for other community members.
Have you encountered abandoned trolleys in your local car park? What solutions would you suggest to help mitigate this problem? We would love to hear your experiences and opinions on this issue in the comments section below.
 
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I take mine back each time. I worry about it damaging someone’s car if I were to not put it away. It only takes a minute. Our local Coles is pretty good but. They usually have a nice man walking round collecting the trolleys saying “can I take that for you”
 
  • Wow
Reactions: Veggiepatch
Yes, the deposit system works at Aldi, and I don't hear of any complaints from Aldi customers. Other stores need to follow suit regardless of the bitching entitled people.
 
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Reactions: Victoria56
It is not only lazy people with the trolleys But parking in a space for people who can not walk to far.
When taking my elderly Mum to the shops we often have to park too far for her to walk, and I get really frustrated when young fit parents are able to park in those "Parents with prams" parks right near the entrance, when they are the last ones to need to be so close.
 
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Reactions: DLHM and Victoria56
People are just bone bloody lazy. Our Coles has trolley bays in each aisle of the carpark but people still just leave the trollies against the bollards at the front of the store. Down at our big shopping centre trolleys are even left on the walkways - it's just sheer laziness.
When our local Coles first opened I was comiing from Aldi next door and a lady was trying to push a trolley down the ramp to Aldi and it wouldn't move (has a locking thing on it) and I stopped and told her and she said "well how am I going to get my shopping to my car"? I said "carry it, you only have 1 small bag". total bloody laziness and somehow despite locking mechanisms you still see trolleys abandoned in the local streets or people pushing their shopping home in the trollies. I despair for humanity these days.
 
Yes, the deposit system works at Aldi, and I don't hear of any complaints from Aldi customers. Other stores need to follow suit regardless of the bitching entitled people.
Totally agree - it doesn't take any effort to buy a token or keep a dollar coin in the car or your wallet/purse.
 
When taking my elderly Mum to the shops we often have to park too far for her to walk, and I get really frustrated when young fit parents are able to park in those "Parents with prams" parks right near the entrance, when they are the last ones to need to be so close.
Agree - and nowhere near enough disabled parking spots - our Aldi has 2 and our local Coles has 3. Not enough.
 
Yes, definitely think all supermarkets should use the same system as ALDI.
You never see ALDI trolleys floating around.
And there is no need for whinging about"what if I don't have a gold coin.
Buy a trolley token. I keep mine on my keyring .
I don't shop at Aldi bt see so many people get a woolies/coles trolley and take it into Aldi
 
The sooner shoppers have to use a gold coin to get a trolley the more people will be inclined to return it to a trolley bay
Not necessarily so. I have collected quite a few $1 coins out of trolleys at my local WW store where we have to use either a coin or the plastic disc which you can buy & keep (they gave them away when first introduced).
 
shop at aldi where you put a coin in to use and only get it back when returned to the return point and clicked off
You'd be surprised how many will leave their trolley with the $1 coin in it as it is "too far" to walk to return it. I know this is the case as I have collected quite a few coins from trolleys at my local WW store.
 
What happened in the 1960s and 1970s when supermarkets were located in main streets surrounded by other shops? No carparks and no trolley bays back then and no trolleys dumped on footpaths!

There is a reason for this behaviour which I will keep to myself....
 
I recall encountering a small shopping centre in a regional town in NSW some years ago which had trolleys that would not leave the shopping centre, except to the car park. They also could not leave the carpark, except by the entrances to the centre.

I also encountered a shop in France where each parking space had a trolley bay on the curb, it was rear-to-curb parking. The trolley had the parking space number on it and there was a camera above the trolley space to record your number plate.

Put the two together and you would have no wandering trolleys.
I like that idea.
 
Instead of moaning that mum couldn’t get out of the car,get out and move the damned trolley yourself! Yes,it’s annoying!yes,people are lazy but bitching about it won’t change things. Just lead by example and stop whining about it!
 
If only the feds would repeal our gun laws the country would be a much safer place and much, much quieter once all the shooting has died down, n'est-ce pas.
 
This happens all the time in the carpark under our shopping centre. I find it is usually young people who shop in groups who are the culprits.
 
Responsibility is a word that far too many people don't seem to understand.
Trolleys taken away from the car park are a problem all over town. I've reported five pushed into a local creek just in the last month and probably 10 or a dozen every year. It's high time that anti-theft locking devices are installed universally.
I reported a trolley left outside my house to Coles, the owners of the trolley. It was there for a couple of days when I reported and was told by the person who answered the phone that they were not the person to report it to but I should ring an agent of their trolley company (they did give me the name but I have forgotten it now). They did not offer me a number and I didn't see why I should ring another number to report it and since I have trouble getting around anyway I was not going to take it a couple of miles back to the shop when I had not put it there in the first place!
 
If only the feds would repeal our gun laws the country would be a much safer place and much, much quieter once all the shooting has died down, n'est-ce pas.
What is the term for a group of federal politicians repealing gun laws?


Mass Suicide.
 
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Reactions: CliffE
A number of years ago the coles we go to at Christies Beach had trolleys that needed a coin, and they brought out these plastic coins you could purchase from the store so that you can use them time and time again, that way the trolleys always came back to the bay so you could get the coins out, but over a period of time that became annoying and may complained that it was stopped. It seemed one day they had them and the next they didn't. There were many times you heard people complaining that they were not able to get their two dollar coins back. So sometimes not even something like that has stopped people from just leaving their trolley where they want to leave them.
I too was going to say that in the past ALL trolleys needed a gold coin or a token purchased from the supermarket. I still use mine at Aldi when needed.
 

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