Report Abandoned Trolleys

March 21, 2024

Looking for the right people to help you with an abandoned trolley in your community?

We’re here to help connect you with the responsible retailers who collect abandoned shopping trolleys across Australia and New Zealand when you use the Snap Send Solve app, or create a Snap using the form below.

Using Snap Send Solve, you can report abandoned trolleys directly to Coles, Woolworths, ALDI and many other local supermarkets and stores in your area.

When is a trolley considered abandoned?

Shopping trolleys are considered abandoned when they fail to be returned to the property of the responsible retailer. Time frames around how long until a trolley is considered abandoned will depend on the retailer or business. Generally, if you find a trolley outside the property of the responsible retailer, we’d recommend Snapping the abandoned trolley if it is still there 24 hours after you spot it.

Who collects abandoned trolleys?

In most cases, the responsible retailer has teams they can deploy to pick up abandoned trolleys periodically, when the trolley is easily identifiable. However, many shopping trolleys lack features, like branding and clear signage, and can be abandoned far from their original location. This can make it difficult to find the right people to collect the abandoned trolley without spending a lot of time making calls to different councils, shopping centres and businesses.

Snap Send Solve makes abandoned trolley collection easy and streamlined for everyone involved. Just Snap a photo, add a description and we’ll notify the right people! If you’re not sure which retailer is responsible for an abandoned trolley, you can create a Snap under the ‘Trolleys General’ incident type, and the Snap will be sent to a Solver at your local council.

When you create a Snap using the app or the form above, the details you provide can help the Solver pinpoint the exact location of the abandoned trolley, even if it has been left somewhere without a street address.

Do trolleys have trackers?

Many shopping trolleys contain trackers, which can help Solvers find and return them to their original location. Trolley trackers help Solvers locate trolleys using GPS, Wifi, and other wireless technology. Trolley trackers are often located on the trolley handle or on the trolley’s back wheel.

When trolleys do not have trackers attached, creating a Snap can help Solvers identify the location of a missing trolley, and provide them essential information they need to find it, such as images and location information.

Should I report abandoned trolleys?

Reporting abandoned trolleys can help Solvers from local retailers reduce obstructions on roads and pathways for traffic, cyclists and pedestrians. These obstructions can cause potential damage to vehicles if not removed.

Abandoned trolleys can also have environmental impacts when they are left in drains, waterways, parks and reserves. For example, trolleys can get clogged in waterways and contribute to flash flooding in extreme weather events.

Locating, tracking and collecting abandoned trolleys can be expensive and time consuming for retailers and councils, so reporting an abandoned trolley using Snap Send Solve helps to make this process quicker and easier for those involved.

So, what happens next?

If you see an abandoned trolley where it’s not supposed to be, it’s never been easier to do something about it. When you Snap an abandoned trolley, your photos, notes and location information help the Solver return it to the right place.

When you create a Snap, a Solver from your local council or retailer will inspect the trolley and attempt to collect it. Depending on where the trolley is located, the Solver may choose to do a risk assessment before retrieving the trolley. Once the trolley is retrieved it will then be returned to its original location.

We’ve found that Snappers report high response rates and prompt resolutions when using Snap Send Solve, without time spent waiting on the phone or following up emails. Snap using the app so you can easily track the progress in the History section, as well as provide feedback, along with your satisfaction rating.

Solvers each have their own customer service level standards and will provide feedback on your Snaps depending on their time and resources. If your report isn’t Solved right away, you can also send a Nudge two weeks after sending your Snap, which is a friendly follow up signal to the Solver.