Council's 'Trolley-tough' Approach Targets Retailers and Asks Shoppers to Keep Streets Tidy
Wyndham City is collaborating with local retailers to maintain the cleanliness of our streets by addressing the issue of abandoned shopping trolleys, as outlined in the recently updated Local Law.
In August, the Council approved the Community Amenity Local Law 2023, which includes enhanced measures for enforcing regulations regarding deserted shopping carts. The modification is designed to ensure that retailers take greater responsibility in preventing trolleys from being removed from their premises and left abandoned in public areas.
Wyndham City has already taken initial enforcement actions against two prominent retailers operating in the area who were found to be violating the new Local Law.
Retailers failing to collect reported abandoned trolleys within three days may face a $386 infringement per trolley. Cr Susan McIntyre, Wyndham City’s Community Safety portfolio holder, expressed hope that major retailers would promptly address reported breaches.
“Some retailers are utilizing tools like Trolley Tracker or similar apps to monitor the movement of their trolleys off-site. When notified by Wyndham City about abandoned trolleys, they use the app to return them to shopping centers,” she explained.
This week, two warnings were issued to retailers who failed to retrieve their trolleys within three days of reporting, and these trolleys were discovered some distance away from the retailers’ locations.
Since August, the Council has communicated the updated local law and its consequences to all major retailers operating in the municipality. Store managers across Wyndham have also been briefed on the matter.
While encouraging retailers to assume greater responsibility, Cr Susan McIntyre acknowledged that the core issue lies with shoppers who neglect to return trolleys. The Council’s aim is for everyone to adhere to proper practices and return trolleys after shopping.
Residents are urged to report abandoned trolleys to retailers. If the trolleys remain uncollected after three business days, residents can escalate the matter to the Council.
To report trolleys owned by:
• Coles
• Kmart
• Bunnings
Contact: www.coles.com.au/help/abandoned-trolley or call 1800 876 553
To report trolleys owned by:
• Woolworths / Safeway
• Big W
• Dan Murphy’s
Contact: https://trolleytracker.com.au/ or call 1800 641 497
Report Aldi trolleys at https://help.aldi.com.au/s/abandoned-trolley-or-catalog
