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Woolworths reveals truth behind viral trolley photo

Woolworths has debunked a supermarket trolley hack that went viral on social media sites when it stunned Australian shoppers.

The image shows a green shopping basket attached to a metal bar with hooks at the back of the trolley.

It appears to have been snapped overseas in the past few years, but recently made a resurgence on Facebook, with Australian shoppers saying they were keen to give it a try on their next grocery trip.

The green basket suggests it is a Woolworths’ trolley, but a spokesperson for the supermarket told Yahoo News Australia the trolley was not part of their fleet.

They said Woolworths’ trolleys do feature a rail brace at the back to help keep its structure and help bear the load of items inside. They are not used to hold baskets.

Left a shopper is seen pointing to a bar under a trolley. Right is the basket hooked onto the back of the trolley.
Woolworths has debunked a supermarket trolley hack that went viral on social media sites this month. Source: Facebook

Yahoo News Australia staff visited an ALDI, Coles and Woolworths store in Sydney on Wednesday to look at their shopping trolleys.

The ALDI trolleys have a similar bar and two hooks as the trolley in the viral image. An Aldi spokesperson declined to comment but said their stores didn’t carry baskets.

The Woolworths trolley did not have anything for the basket to hook onto, but did have the previously mentioned stabilising bar underneath.

There was no such feature on the Coles trolleys.

Pictured is a similar bar on an ALDI trolley in Sydney.
An ALDI trolley in Sydney featured a similar bar as that seen in the viral photo, but a spokesperson said they do not carry baskets in stores. Source: Yahoo News Australia

Australian shoppers question supposed supermarket hack

Numerous Australian Facebook users said they “had no idea” what metal bars often seen on the back of trolleys were used for.

“I thought that was just made to piss me off every time I kick it by mistake,” one woman joked.

Some pondered why a shopper would need a basket if they already have a trolley.

“No more squashing the bread,” a woman suggested.

“I guess it would be something to do with putting fragile stuff in the back so that kids don’t stomp all over them!” another said.

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