If you’ve ever found yourself at Woolworths, ready to tackle your weekly shop, only to realise you don’t have a $1 or $2 coin for a trolley, you’re not alone.
This minor hiccup can turn a simple shopping trip into an arm-aching ordeal for many Australians, especially those who rarely carry cash. But what if we told you there’s a clever, little-known solution that could save your muscles and sanity?
First, let’s discuss why this problem exists. For years, supermarkets like Woolworths, Coles, and ALDI have locked up their trolleys, requiring a gold coin (or sometimes a special token) to release them.
The reason? Trolley dumping. Abandoned trolleys are costly for stores and local communities, often ending up in parks, waterways, or blocking footpaths.
According to environmental groups, replacing a single trolley can cost up to $300, which inevitably trickles down to us, the shoppers, through higher grocery prices.
ALDI, for example, is famous for its coin-operated trolleys and claims that this system keeps almost all its trolleys where they belong—at the store. Coles and Woolworths have followed suit in many locations, sometimes even using electronic wheel locks for extra security.
But what happens when you’re ready to shop and realise you don’t have a coin? That’s precisely what happened to Stefan, a regular Woolworths shopper, who was lugging a heavy basket around the store because he ‘never’ carries coins.
After sharing his frustration online, Stefan was surprised to learn about a simple fix: Woolworths offers a free trolley token keyring to customers who ask for one at the service desk.
‘I went up to the desk and asked, and they were like “here you go” and gave it to me,’ Stefan said. ‘How did I not know about that?’
It’s a game-changer for anyone who’s ever been caught out without change. While Woolworths hasn’t officially advertised this handy little gift, it’s understood that staff are happy to provide a token if you ask—no purchase necessary.
Despite being a lifesaver for many, the free trolley token remains one of Woolworths’ best-kept secrets.
There is no signage or mention on their website, and some staff may be unaware of the policy. It’s a classic case of ‘if you don’t ask, you don’t get.’
Other supermarkets have their versions: ALDI sells a trolley token for 99 cents, and some community groups and charities hand out branded tokens as promotional items. But Woolworths’ freebie is rare in today’s world of rising costs.
While the coin system can be a hassle, it’s worth remembering why it exists. Trolley theft and dumping cost supermarkets millions each year, and those costs are ultimately passed on to shoppers.
As Ian Thomson from Ocean Crusaders pointed out, ‘That’s often being paid for with our groceries.’
For its part, Coles has teams dedicated to retrieving abandoned trolleys and is constantly reassessing its management strategies based on community feedback.
Have you ever been caught out without a coin for your trolley? Did you know about the free Woolworths token? Or do you have your clever hack for getting around the coin lock? Share your stories and tips in the comments below.
Also read: Cost-of-living relief: Coles matches Woolworths with major grocery price cuts
So Stefan, a regular Woolworths shopper, never carries coins. And was that frustrated he had to share his incompetence online.
Here’s a tip Stefan. Keep a few coins in your car just like most people keep bags in their cars. But don’t post your frustrations on line blaming others for your incompetence and lack of forward thinking. Get a life.
Guess what Karl – men do have pockets in their clothing. But if it were a woman you were berating, she’d have a good comeback – women’s clothes typically don’t. (Which of course is a huge bugbear for us).
I keep an Aldi token attached to my wallet, then I don’t have to worry about finding coins. I’d never keep it with my keys, as the more you have on your key ring, the more the car key has to cope with weight and can actually make the key inoperable in the car, especially older cars.
One of my local Coles supermarkets have GPS locators on their trolleys (free, no coin/token needed), which allows you to take the trolley to the car park (back of the mall), but no further than the front or side door of the mall, as it won’t go any further.