Coles trolley gripe sparks major debate: 'Drives me nuts'
Supermarket shopping can be difficult enough at times without having to dodge trolleys that have been dumped in the carpark.
But some people continue to leave their trolleys in car spaces rather than returning them to the designated bays, and it seems shoppers have had enough.
Media personality Samantha X shared a photo on Twitter showing a trolley, believed to be from Coles, parked right in the middle of a car space in an underground car park.
In the background, another two trolleys hug the cement block, purportedly dumped by shoppers after loading their groceries into their cars.
The familiar sight triggered many Twitter users who admitted it "drives me nuts", with Samantha pointing out two clear camps.
"The world is divided into. people who dump their trolleys like this. And the rest of us," the media personality captioned the post.
People not returning trolleys after using them has long been an issue for customers.
Not only does an abandoned trolley block a car space, which can be frustrating when car parks are full, but they can damage nearby cars by scratching or hitting them.
People react to trolley move: 'No-one can be that lazy'
Samantha's tweet triggered an onslaught of replies from frustrated customers who admit the "annoying" move infuriates them.
"Drives me nuts seeing this. Especially when the trolley bay is usually max 10 metres away,” one annoyed Twitter user wrote.
"I despise those people I really do as surely no one can be that lazy," wrote another.
Another said it "really p***es me off" and said the trolley can "easily move and dent or scratch other cars".
Some offered a solution they thought could solve the recurring issue.
"They should set up a programme like plastic recycling locations. Return a trolley and receive $50," one suggested.
Another said their local supermarket already has a "trolley deposit system" but not many people use it.
"We sometimes see them 3km from the supermarket," they said.
One person had shared a tip for other Coles shoppers.
"I always park next to a trolley station so I don’t have far to walk to put the trolley away," they said.
But despite the overwhelming support for the original post, there were some who didn't see an issue.
"That's why they employ trolley workers," one said.
Another agreed, adding this "issue" provides an income for some who are employed to collect the trolleys in the car park.
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Coles reacts to trolley dumping: 'Nuisance'
Speaking to Yahoo News Australia, a Coles spokesperson said "abandoned trolleys are a nuisance to local communities".
"Coles provides trolleys to its customers for their convenience and spends a significant amount on maintaining them each year, some of which is the cost of collecting trolleys that have been removed from our premises," they said.
"We are actively working to make this better across the nation, including regular collections of abandoned trolleys with vehicles on the road daily and installing wheel lock systems where suitable."
The supermarket giant urges people to help manage trolley abandonment.
"To assist in helping us manage trolley abandonment, members of the public can also use the Coles app on their smartphones to report trolleys using GPS, or call 1800 876 553 (1800 TROLLEY) and we’ll collect them as soon as possible.
"Since 1 January 2021, Coles has collected 95% of all trolleys reported by the public."
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