Liverpool City Council, located in Sydney, is launching a new initiative aimed at reducing the problem of abandoned supermarket trolleys. To combat this issue, the council plans to trial the distribution of up to 500 subsidised personal shopping trolleys, commonly referred to as “granny trolleys.” These trolleys will be offered at a reduced price to eligible local residents, including pensioners and those without access to a car.
Deputy Mayor Peter Harle emphasised that while supermarkets legally own the trolleys and are responsible for their management, it is the council that faces the brunt of the problem. He described the move as a “retro solution” to a contemporary challenge, suggesting that encouraging residents to return to using personal shopping carts may offer a sensible way to tackle this widespread issue. He recalled a past when shopping trolleys were a common household item, proposing that this return to basics could alleviate the trolley-related troubles facing the community.
Liverpool Mayor Ned Mannoun supported this initiative, encouraging other councils to adopt similar strategies. He described the programme as a beneficial example of a circular economy addressing an environmental concern. The funding for the granny trolleys will be sourced from the council’s Environmental Levy.
In recent months, the Liverpool City Council has confiscated nearly 1,200 abandoned trolleys, which grocery chains have typically retrieved at a cost of $46.30 each. As part of their ongoing efforts to tackle this issue, council leaders are preparing for a “trolley blitz” in May, during which they intend to impose fines of up to $1,320 on supermarkets for unclaimed trolleys.
Interestingly, the council has repurposed a previous waste management tool known as “the croc,” which was originally designed to dismantle old mattresses, to now process the thousands of shopping trolleys left scattered across the area. By recycling the metal from these trolleys, the council aims to prevent unnecessary waste from ending up in landfills.
Through these innovative approaches, Liverpool City Council is striving to enhance community responsibility and reduce the environmental impact associated with discarded shopping trolleys, while encouraging a return to more traditional shopping practices.