Dumped shopping trolleys are a growing eyesore across Perth suburbs, and in Canning, the issue is reaching a tipping point.
Tipped at bus stops, jammed in parks, blocking footpaths, they’re more than just an eyesore.
Some residents see it as a weekly nuisance, while the city sees it as a growing community safety and environmental concern. And for many, it’s a test of civic responsibility.
In Parkwood, a local resident said the problem is persistent and exhausting.
“I live on Golf Road, Parkwood, and we have an ongoing issue with shopping trolleys being abandoned in the same spots weekly, particularly at the corner of Cerberus Avenue and Golf Road,” they said in response to a recent community post.
“On one occasion, I saw an elderly woman struggling to pass due to three Coles trolleys, two Big W trolleys, and one Woolworths trolley.”
The resident said they contacted the council multiple times but found the response lacking.
“Initially, they directed me to contact the supermarkets, and after I pushed back, they closed my case without follow-up, despite the trolleys reappearing the next day,” they said. “These abandoned trolleys, often filled with rubbish like rocks and other items, are left by kids or others and significantly reduce the area’s amenity.”
Others expressed the same dissatisfaction.
“Usually turned on their side and used as a seat at bus stops,” one person said. “Plain irresponsible behaviour.”
Another added, “Worst still are those shoppers who are too lazy to leave the trolley in the trolley area, and just leave [them] in a car park space.”
The issue was raised in a council motion last year, calling for stronger measures from major retailers and better containment systems, like magnetic locking wheels.
Now, the city is launching a renewed campaign to tackle trolley dumping, encouraging residents to return trolleys after use and report any left behind.
“We know how frustrating abandoned trolleys can be. They create hazards, damage the look of our neighbourhoods and sometimes end up polluting our local waterways,” said Mayor Patrick Hall.
“This campaign is about working with our community and retail partners to reduce the impact of dumped trolleys and keep Canning looking its best.”
Deputy Mayor Mark Bain said abandoned trolleys are a safety and environmental concern, urging retailers to manage their carts and shoppers to return them. He said the City’s Community Safety team would help by encouraging reporting and compliance.
As part of the campaign, signage will be placed in hotspot areas and residents are being urged to take simple steps to prevent trolley dumping.
However, some residents said more needs to be done.
“Time to have a coin for them all like Aldi,” said local resident Simon Springett, who noted that trolleys have sat untouched behind Coles on High Road for months. “They are all over. I see them in private car parks in apartment blocks, used by cleaners on estates, used by smaller retailers in their shops to ferry their own stock around.”
Springett said he has seen trolleys used to damage cars, act as bins, or blow into traffic.
Even on a broader level, the abandoned trolley issue has sparked philosophical debate online.
“The shopping trolley is the ultimate litmus test for whether a person is capable of self-governing,” one person wrote in a social media thread. “You must return the trolley out of the goodness of your own heart. A person who is unable to do this is no better than an animal.”
While some blame lazy shoppers, others believe retailers have encouraged dependency by failing to implement preventative systems or improve collection services.
The City of Canning’s website states that it is an offence to leave trolleys in public places and urges residents to report them. Contact information for retailers such as Coles, Woolworths, Big W, among others, is provided to help fast-track retrieval.
The campaign, for now, will rely heavily on community awareness. But for residents like those on Golf Road, awareness has never been the problem, action is.
“I’d like to know the city’s proposed solution to address this repeat issue, including whether cameras or other measures can be used to identify and stop these offenders,” the Parkwood resident said. “It seems trolley dumping is being overlooked.”
The issue isn’t isolated to one neighbourhood. Another resident said, “Yes, they are everywhere and the problem is growing, particularly around apartments and multi-unit complexes. Queens Park is a prime example.”
“People walk their groceries to the front door and toss the trolley on the street. It’s a form of theft and culprits should be charged. Better still, supermarkets need to prevent trolleys being removed from carparks. Notice that none of the trolleys are from Aldi. Eighty percent of them are from Woolies.”
Others have taken a different approach, reporting trolleys directly.
“Often around the southern end of Fleming Avenue and also near Kent Street Weir. If I see them, I call the Trolley Tracker app and they get collected,” one person said.
