{"id":468,"date":"2025-07-15T11:05:02","date_gmt":"2025-07-15T11:05:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vlurexantobi.com\/?p=468"},"modified":"2025-07-23T11:51:36","modified_gmt":"2025-07-23T11:51:36","slug":"tesco-and-waitrose-trial-us-feature-in-uk-supermarkets-but-shoppers-call-it-awful","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vlurexantobi.com\/index.php\/2025\/07\/15\/tesco-and-waitrose-trial-us-feature-in-uk-supermarkets-but-shoppers-call-it-awful\/","title":{"rendered":"Tesco and Waitrose trial US feature in UK supermarkets \u2014 but shoppers call it \u2018awful\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n\t\t\"Kidderminster,\t<\/div>
Supermarket trolleys can be surprisingly divisive (Picture: Shutterstock\/D K Grove)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

You may notice something different on your next big shop<\/a>, as two UK supermarkets<\/a> consider introducing a distinctly American new feature.<\/p>\n

US-style plastic trolleys are now being trialled<\/a> in Tesco\u2019s Sheffield Infirmary Superstore and Waitrose\u2019s Brent Cross branch, in an effort to gather feedback from customers<\/a>.<\/p>\n

These new designs are said to be lighter and easier to steer, without the clattering noise traditional carts can make as they\u2019re wheeled through the aisles<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Additionally, they could prove less attractive to thieves, who typically steal the metal models in order to sell on for scrap.<\/p>\n

Hannah Lewis, managing director of trolley supplier Formbar, believes shops and customers alike will prefer them.<\/p>\n

\u2018Trolleys are important, they are the first thing you see as you go into a supermarket,\u2019 she tells The Sun<\/a>. \u2018The plastic ones are more cost-effective to maintain, as well as being fully recyclable. We\u2019ll be seeing them much more in the future.\u2019<\/p>\n

\n
\n\t\t\"Doing\t<\/div>
Tesco is trialling the hybrid plastic models at a branch in Sheffield (Picture: Reddit)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\n
\n\t\t\"Doing\t<\/div>
The carts are popular in the US, but are relatively new to the UK (Picture: Formbar)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

But not all shoppers are convinced.<\/p>\n

A Reddit post about the new trolleys \u2013 similar to those used by US chains like Target \u2013 sparked disapproving replies, with @NoFaithlessness4987 branding them a \u2018waste of money\u2019 and another user predicting they\u2019d \u2018end up grubby and stinking very quickly\u2019.<\/p>\n

\u2018They ain\u2019t gonna last a week,\u2019 commented @ManufacturerNo4079, while @justhonest1986 added: \u2018They look awful.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u2018At least these won\u2019t rust when they end up in the local river, canal, or duck pond,\u2019 wrote @Big_Dave990, to which @humblesunbro jokingly responded: \u2018Nope they\u2019ll float merrily on by instead.\u2019<\/p>\n

\n
Comment now<\/title><span class=\"metro-comment-cta__text\">What do you think of plastic trolleys \u2014 yay or nay?<\/span><\/span><a class=\"metro-comment-cta__button\" href=\"#metro-comments-container\">Comment Now<\/a><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p>Some felt the move was a positive one though, including @ImissTBBT who said: \u2018I don\u2019t see what\u2019s wrong. Plastic baskets on shopping trolleys have been a thing in the US and many other countries for decades. They work just fine. Overall unit weight and price is reduced.\u2019<\/p>\n<p>Another, @Childhood-Crazy, praised the \u2018modern\u2019 design, while @DeezWuts noted that the potential cost savings when it comes to replacing them, adding: \u2018Probably a decent overall savings in stores that are constantly having the metal ones robbed.\u2019<\/p>\n<p>Although Tesco declined to comment on its use of plastic trolleys going forward, a Waitrose spokesperson told <strong>Metro<\/strong>: \u2018This is a localised trial involving one shop but we have no plans to roll-out wider.\u2019\u00a0<\/p>\n<figure class=\"img-container shareable-item wp-caption\">\n<div class=\"img-wrap\">\n\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"603\" height=\"608\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" class=\"article-image wp-image-23665856 lazyload\" alt=\"Doing a big grocery shop could soon be easier due to new American-style plastic shopping trolleys being trialled at two supermarket chains. The new designs are said to be lighter and easier to steer, without any noisy clanking sounds. Tesco?s trial at its Sheffield Infirmary Superstore involves hybrid trolleys, comprising a metal chassis with a plastic basket. Waitrose?s all plastic ones are at its Brent Cross store. The new additions are similar to those used in big American chains like Target, with its iconic bright red carts. It's not known whether they'll be rolled out more widely, but it's understood feedback is being taken from customers.\" loading=\"lazy\" data-src=\"https:\/\/vlurexantobi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/SEI_258879411-3f83-e1752574628735.jpg\">\t<\/div><figcaption>Plastic trolleys are lighter and less likely to be stolen for scrap than metal ones (Picture: Formbar)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>According to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wanzl.com\/en_GB\/360-degree-service\/TrolleyWise#:~:text=Android%20Download-,A%20Wheely%20Big%20Problem!,and%20hazardous%20abandoned%20shopping%20trolleys.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Wanzl<\/a>, trolley theft and abandonment costs British businesses \u00a335m every year (more than \u00a395,000 a day), with each stolen cart coming in at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thegrocer.co.uk\/promotional-features\/how-to-reduce-trolley-theft-while-boosting-sustainability-in-your-store\/700360.article#:~:text=Trolley%20theft%20in%20the%20UK,lead%20to%20abandonment%20and%20damage.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u00a3100 to replace<\/a>. However, Spanish supermarket Mercadona reduced its replacement needs by 80% after switching to plastic hybrid models, improving the company\u2019s bottom line and its environmental impact.<\/p>\n<p>Still, customers can be particular about supermarket trolleys, as Tesco found out last year. When <a href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/2024\/10\/07\/tesco-change-trolleys-affecting-90-shoppers-branded-awful-21747155\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">the supermarket moved self-scanner holders <\/a>from the left to the right-hand side of its cart handles, shoppers took to social media begging for the change to be reversed.<\/p>\n<p>Following some surprisingly strong reactions \u2013 including one person claiming they were driven \u2018nuts\u2019 having to reach over and put the machine back in its slot \u2013 a spokesperson for Tesco told\u00a0<strong>Metro<\/strong>: \u2018Our new trolleys are designed to be practical for all customers. We value feedback and will pass this on to the relevant teams.\u2019<\/p>\n<p class=\"\"><strong>Do you have a story to share?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"\"><strong>Get in touch by emailing <a href=\"mailto:MetroLifestyleTeam@Metro.co.uk\">MetroLifestyleTeam@Metro.co.uk<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n<section id=\"share-buttons-bottom-start\" class=\"share-buttons share-buttons-bottom centered\"><\/section>\n<section id=\"share-buttons-bottom-end\" class=\"share-buttons share-buttons-bottom centered\"><a class=\"comment-now metro-button metro-comments-cta\" data-vars-position=\"bottom_cta_question\" href=\"#metro-comments-container\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t<span><title>Comment now<\/title><\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"comment-now__label\">What do you think of plastic trolleys \u2014 yay or nay?<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t<\/a><\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Supermarket trolleys can be surprisingly divisive (Picture: Shutterstock\/D K Grove) You may notice something different on your next big shop, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":470,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-468","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-shopping"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vlurexantobi.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/468","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vlurexantobi.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vlurexantobi.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vlurexantobi.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vlurexantobi.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=468"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/vlurexantobi.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/468\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":475,"href":"https:\/\/vlurexantobi.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/468\/revisions\/475"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vlurexantobi.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/470"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vlurexantobi.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=468"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vlurexantobi.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=468"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vlurexantobi.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=468"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}