Abandoned shopping trolleys usually belong to businesses like supermarkets and large to medium retail premises. They are taken without the permission of the owner and left in a public space.
If ignored, abandoned trolleys can -
- become an eyesore
- pose a hazard or obstruction to highway users. Especially if they are placed in proximity to moving traffic
- can pose a hazard to wildlife
- increase risks of localised flooding, if discarded in watercourses and obstruct the flow of water
TrolleyWise Scheme
In Hull, we work in partnership with TrolleyWise.
TrolleyWise is a national organisation that works with trolley owners to help reduce losses from stores and retail outlets across the UK.
Speak to the business directly if you find an abandoned trolley close to where it belongs.
Businesses in Hull covered by TrolleyWise
TrolleyWise covers the following businesses -
- B&Q
- Home Bargains
- Iceland
- Lidl
- Makro
- Sainsbury’s
- Tesco
- Marks & Spencer
- Aldi
- WM Morrisons
For the full list of supermarkets covered by TrolleyWise, check their website.
How to report an abandoned trolley
You can report trolleys from the above businesses by:
- Telephone - 01926 451 951
- Email - trolleywise@wanzl.co.uk
- Online - Use the TrolleyWise website or their mobile app to submit a report
Removal of trolleys from the water
Report a trolley in a river or drain to the Environment Agency online, or call 03708 506 506.
You can report a trolley in any inland waterway to the Canals and Rivers Trust online. Or contact them on 03030 404 040.
Your responsibility
To help reduce the presence of abandoned shopping trolleys, you can help by -
- not removing any shopping trolley from the boundary of the business
- not using trolleys to take your shopping home
- leaving it in a sensible location within the boundary of the business. Such as the trolley bay
- not taking trolleys past containment strips. These will be strips located on the footpath and boundary of the car park, designed to stop trolleys from being removed
- reporting persons you see fly-tipping waste in shopping trolleys
- reporting abandoned trolleys to TrolleyWise
- reporting abandoned trolleys to the business it belongs to