Coles Responds to ‘Sad’ Photo of Trolley Dumping Issue in Canberra
Coles faces backlash after photos of dumped trolleys in Canberra spark outrage among locals questioning community responsibility
Canberra, Australia, Coles, Trolley Dumping, Community
Canberra: Recently, a troubling scene unfolded in a local park where a bunch of shopping trolleys were found dumped in shallow water. This mess has been a long-standing issue for supermarkets, and Coles is feeling the heat this week.
Photos from John Knight Park in Belconnen showed around 20 trolleys just sitting there, and it’s not the first time this has happened. People in Canberra have been frustrated for ages about trolleys being left all over the place—on nature strips, in waterways, you name it.
One local who shared the photos expressed their disappointment, saying, “This is why we can’t have nice things.” They even wondered if it’s a parenting issue, noting how their kids pick up trash when they see it. It’s a shame that some folks don’t feel the same way.
It’s actually against the law to take a trolley from a shopping center, with fines in place for those who don’t return them. But it’s up to stores like Coles to collect these abandoned trolleys from the community.
People online were not holding back their feelings about the situation. Many were calling for stricter penalties for those caught dumping trolleys. One person commented, “How sad to see this. Disgraceful.” Another added, “What is wrong with people?”
Some commenters even pointed out that in Europe, they have systems in place to prevent this kind of thing, like wheel locks that stop trolleys after a certain distance. It makes you wonder why that’s not happening here.
Coles didn’t answer all the questions about how many trolleys they lose or what they’re doing to fix the problem. They did say they were unaware of the trolleys in the water until contacted by the news. They manage their own trolley collection and do daily runs to pick them up, but they rely on a coin lock system to encourage returns.
A spokesperson from Coles mentioned they spend a lot on maintaining their trolley fleet and are always looking for ways to improve their trolley management. They’ve since collected the trolleys from the park.
This isn’t just a one-off issue. Community groups and volunteers often spend hours fishing trolleys out of waterways. For instance, a group in Brisbane pulls out about 300 trolleys a year from rivers and lakes, and it’s not just a local problem—it’s happening all over Australia.
Each trolley costs around $300 to replace, and many believe that the costs of these lost trolleys ultimately fall on everyday shoppers. It’s a frustrating cycle that seems to keep repeating.
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