Coles Middle Camberwell: Supermarket giant trials phone app to unlock trolleys

Shoppers are having to use their smartphones and enter credit card details to unlock trolleys as part of a supermarket giant’s trial. Find out why.

A supermarket giant is making customers download an app and store their credit card details to unlock trolleys at one of its stores in Melbourne’s inner east.

Coles is trialling “coinless shopping trolley locks” at its Middle Camberwell store on Riversdale Rd to help it keep track of missing trolleys.

Customers need to download a special Coles sMart Shop app, purchase a $2 digital coin, and then scan a QR code which has been fixed onto the trolley.

The $2 deposit is then returned to the customer’s account for re-use once the trolley is returned and locked in a collection bay.

Shoppers who don’t wish to use the new locks or aren’t smartphone-savvy can speak to a team member to get a trolley unlocked to complete their shopping.

A Coles spokeswoman said the new technology did not have a GPS installed and would not track the trolley user’s movements.

The spokeswoman said the supermarket giant “hoped the technology will help minimise abandoned shopping trolleys in the community”.

Leader understands that along with tackling the trolley issue, Coles is trialling the measure due to shoppers increasingly making digital and contactless payments, and not using coins following the Covid-19 pandemic.

It is unclear how long the trial will go for and if Coles will roll out the measure in other stores, but the spokeswoman said the company would continue to evaluate customer usage and feedback.