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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Why are so many people so lazy these days, when you see so many trolleys just abandoned instead of being taken back to the trolley centres, makes you wonder !!
Coles and Woolies should have the same coin system as Aldi instead of paying thousands out for someone to retrieve all the abandoned trolleys.
Laziness and "don't care" attitude has become so popular nowadays. 😡🤬
 
Happens all the time these days and I've even found trolleys across the road in my street. I called and reported them so they could be collected but unfortunately you see many around our area these days and if someone doesn't call them in, within a couple of days they end up pushed down into the stormwater gullies or filled up with rubbish. I get really annoyed if I come back to my car to find someone has left their trolley beside it, especially when the trolley bay is less than 5 metres away. it's sheer laziness and the attitude 'the trolley boys will get it'.
 
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
I do shop at aldi for the groceries they have that I want, but unfortunately our aldi store is often out of stock due to so many people shopping there these days. I like the way aldi have the pay for your trolley. Coles over in Adelaide where we were living for 3 years also do this, so there weren't trolleys left all around the streets there either.
 
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.
 
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 have never had a problem with ALDI trolleys.
Their tokens are metal which I think would be much better than plastic.
Still,no matter what is done, the lazy will always complain as it is just ever so difficult to return your trolley.😡
 
I live nearly 2k's from the nearest Coles, recently I saw a woman, with her kids, who should have been in school (aged between 8 and 12) going to her home pushing a trolley with an almost empty Coles paper bag in the trolley. I still wonder why she couldn't have one of her kids carry the bag instead of berating them at the top of her voice.
A fog horn would be quieter.
 
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.
 
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 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 this idea.
 

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