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1News
19-05-2025
- Business
- 1News
Council considers regulations against abandoning supermarket trolleys
Christchurch councillors say shopping trolleys are being abandoned on footpaths and in rivers, causing a nuisance and costing businesses millions of dollars. Council staff responded to reports of 6313 abandoned trolleys in the city in the year to last October, more than half of which came from the country's two biggest supermarket chains —2238 from Woolworths New Zealand and 1652 from Foodstuffs-owned Pak'nSave and New World. RNZ has been told trolleys cost an average of $300 but could cost up to $700 each, with Woolworths spending more than $1.5 million per year on abandoned trolleys nationwide. Abandoned trolleys were generally reported via the Snap Send Solve app and directed to the retailer who owned the trolley for collection. On Wednesday, councillors would consider a staff report outlining regulatory and non-regulatory options for addressing the problem by either by adding a clause to an existing waste bylaw or working with Retail NZ on a memorandum of understanding. Under that approach, they would collaborate on preventive measures and collecting and returning trolleys to stores. Staff also canvassed distance and time limits around trolley use, including coin deposit locks and wheel locks, although they noted the coin system could easily be circumvented by inserting another item like a key into the slot and people could keep pushing trolleys with locked wheels, breaking them. Woolworths New Zealand said it had trolley collection services to help keep streets tidy. "We want to keep our local communities tidy and trolley-free and ensure that we have enough trolleys available in our stores," a spokesperson said. "We spend over $1.5 million a year on collecting abandoned trolleys, and our contractors collect around 80,000 trolleys and return them to our stores every year." Foodstuffs said most customers did the right thing and returned trolleys to their designated bays. "Out of the hundreds used each week, only a small number are taken off-site. We regularly patrol nearby streets to collect abandoned trolleys, and when members of the public report one, we aim to retrieve it as quickly as possible," a spokesperson said. "However, trolleys do occasionally go missing, and it's always disappointing when they're stolen or dumped. We encourage the public to report any misplaced or stolen trolleys so we can arrange prompt collection.'' Councillor Yani Johanson said he had once seen 10 trolleys in one street, and in one case it took more than a month and 10 complaints for a trolley to be collected. "The people that own the shopping trolleys have a duty of care to the environment and the community to pick them up and to stop them from being abandoned in the first place," he said. Johanson had requested the council to take a similar approach to Auckland Council, which had added shopping trolleys as a clause in its waste management and minimisation bylaw in 2019. Councillor Aaron Keown said supermarkets and other shopping precincts should have areas beyond which trolleys cannot go, otherwise it would be treated as theft. "I'm not allowed to walk into the store and grab six blocks of chocolate and walk out, trolleys are exactly the same," he said. "People take this liberty that 'it's a shopping trolley, I'll just use it to get my goods home'. It's not for that, stop doing it." Councillor Sara Templeton said trolleys were sometimes abandoned because people did not have another way to take their groceries home. "In Ōtautahi Christchurch we have 13% of adults who don't have a driver's licence. For many of them, being able to transport groceries home in another way is really valuable," she said. "Yes, they should be taking them back afterwards, but I'm not in favour of stopping people being able to remove trolleys from business premises." Retail NZ advocacy manager Ann-Marie Johnson said she favoured a solution involving both the council and retailers. "Then you've got willing partners on both sides to investigate the issue, whereas if it's put into a bylaw, that can be a heavy-hitting approach," she said. By RNZ's Joe Shaw
Otago Daily Times
18-05-2025
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
Council considering options to deal with abandoned supermarket trolley problem
By Joe Shaw of RNZ Christchurch councillors say shopping trolleys are being abandoned on footpaths and in rivers, causing a nuisance and costing businesses millions of dollars. Council staff responded to reports of 6313 abandoned trolleys in the city in the year to last October, more than half of which came from the country's two biggest supermarket chains - 2238 from Woolworths New Zealand and 1652 from Foodstuffs-owned Pak'nSave and New World. RNZ has been told trolleys cost an average of $300 but could cost up to $700 each, with Woolworths spending more than $1.5 million per year on abandoned trolleys nationwide. Abandoned trolleys were generally reported via the Snap Send Solve app and directed to the retailer who owned the trolley for collection. On Wednesday, councillors would consider a staff report outlining regulatory and non-regulatory options for addressing the problem by either by adding a clause to an existing waste bylaw or working with Retail NZ on a memorandum of understanding. Under that approach, they would collaborate on preventive measures and collecting and returning trolleys to stores. Staff also canvassed distance and time limits around trolley use, including coin deposit locks and wheel locks, although they noted the coin system could easily be circumvented by inserting another item like a key into the slot and people could keep pushing trolleys with locked wheels, breaking them. Woolworths New Zealand said it had trolley collection services to help keep streets tidy. "We want to keep our local communities tidy and trolley-free and ensure that we have enough trolleys available in our stores. We spend over $1.5 million a year on collecting abandoned trolleys, and our contractors collect around 80,000 trolleys and return them to our stores every year," a spokesperson said. Foodstuffs said most customers did the right thing and returned trolleys to their designated bays. "Out of the hundreds used each week, only a small number are taken off-site. We regularly patrol nearby streets to collect abandoned trolleys, and when members of the public report one, we aim to retrieve it as quickly as possible," a spokesperson said. "However, trolleys do occasionally go missing, and it's always disappointing when they're stolen or dumped. We encourage the public to report any misplaced or stolen trolleys so we can arrange prompt collection.'' Councillor Yani Johanson said he had once seen 10 trolleys in one street, and in one case it took more than a month and 10 complaints for a trolley to be collected. "The people that own the shopping trolleys have a duty of care to the environment and the community to pick them up and to stop them from being abandoned in the first place," he said. Johanson had requested the council to take a similar approach to Auckland Council, which had added shopping trolleys as a clause in its waste management and minimisation bylaw in 2019. Councillor Aaron Keown said supermarkets and other shopping precincts should have areas beyond which trolleys cannot go, otherwise it would be treated as theft. "I'm not allowed to walk into the store and grab six blocks of chocolate and walk out, trolleys are exactly the same," he said. "People take this liberty that 'it's a shopping trolley, I'll just use it to get my goods home'. It's not for that, stop doing it." Councillor Sara Templeton said trolleys were sometimes abandoned because people did not have another way to take their groceries home. "In Ōtautahi Christchurch we have 13 per cent of adults who don't have a driver's licence. For many of them, being able to transport groceries home in another way is really valuable," she said. "Yes, they should be taking them back afterwards, but I'm not in favour of stopping people being able to remove trolleys from business premises." Retail NZ advocacy manager Ann-Marie Johnson said she favoured a solution involving both the council and retailers. "Then you've got willing partners on both sides to investigate the issue, whereas if it's put into a bylaw, that can be a heavy-hitting approach," she said.
Otago Daily Times
18-05-2025
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
Abandoned trolleys costing supermarkets millions: council
By Joe Shaw of RNZ Christchurch councillors say shopping trolleys are being abandoned on footpaths and in rivers, causing a nuisance and costing businesses millions of dollars. Council staff responded to reports of 6313 abandoned trolleys in the city in the year to last October, more than half of which came from the country's two biggest supermarket chains - 2238 from Woolworths New Zealand and 1652 from Foodstuffs-owned Pak'nSave and New World. RNZ has been told trolleys cost an average of $300 but could cost up to $700 each, with Woolworths spending more than $1.5 million per year on abandoned trolleys nationwide. Abandoned trolleys were generally reported via the Snap Send Solve app and directed to the retailer who owned the trolley for collection. On Wednesday, councillors would consider a staff report outlining regulatory and non-regulatory options for addressing the problem by either by adding a clause to an existing waste bylaw or working with Retail NZ on a memorandum of understanding. Under that approach, they would collaborate on preventive measures and collecting and returning trolleys to stores. Staff also canvassed distance and time limits around trolley use, including coin deposit locks and wheel locks, although they noted the coin system could easily be circumvented by inserting another item like a key into the slot and people could keep pushing trolleys with locked wheels, breaking them. Woolworths New Zealand said it had trolley collection services to help keep streets tidy. "We want to keep our local communities tidy and trolley-free and ensure that we have enough trolleys available in our stores. We spend over $1.5 million a year on collecting abandoned trolleys, and our contractors collect around 80,000 trolleys and return them to our stores every year," a spokesperson said. Foodstuffs said most customers did the right thing and returned trolleys to their designated bays. "Out of the hundreds used each week, only a small number are taken off-site. We regularly patrol nearby streets to collect abandoned trolleys, and when members of the public report one, we aim to retrieve it as quickly as possible," a spokesperson said. "However, trolleys do occasionally go missing, and it's always disappointing when they're stolen or dumped. We encourage the public to report any misplaced or stolen trolleys so we can arrange prompt collection.'' Councillor Yani Johanson said he had once seen 10 trolleys in one street, and in one case it took more than a month and 10 complaints for a trolley to be collected. "The people that own the shopping trolleys have a duty of care to the environment and the community to pick them up and to stop them from being abandoned in the first place," he said. Johanson had requested the council to take a similar approach to Auckland Council, which had added shopping trolleys as a clause in its waste management and minimisation bylaw in 2019. Councillor Aaron Keown said supermarkets and other shopping precincts should have areas beyond which trolleys cannot go, otherwise it would be treated as theft. "I'm not allowed to walk into the store and grab six blocks of chocolate and walk out, trolleys are exactly the same," he said. "People take this liberty that 'it's a shopping trolley, I'll just use it to get my goods home'. It's not for that, stop doing it." Councillor Sara Templeton said trolleys were sometimes abandoned because people did not have another way to take their groceries home. "In Ōtautahi Christchurch we have 13 per cent of adults who don't have a driver's licence. For many of them, being able to transport groceries home in another way is really valuable," she said. "Yes, they should be taking them back afterwards, but I'm not in favour of stopping people being able to remove trolleys from business premises." Retail NZ advocacy manager Ann-Marie Johnson said she favoured a solution involving both the council and retailers. "Then you've got willing partners on both sides to investigate the issue, whereas if it's put into a bylaw, that can be a heavy-hitting approach," she said.
Otago Daily Times
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Otago Daily Times
Voters buttons pushed by rates, potholes, e-scooters
Ali Jones (independent, Innes Ward) The October local body elections will not be Jones' first rodeo. She has run five campaigns since 2013, two to become a city councillor and three to be a community board member. She has only lost one of them, going down to city councillor and deputy mayor Pauline Cotter in the 2022 election by just eight votes after calling for a recount. Jones is again trying to make waves in the Innes Ward in a bid to unseat Cotter. She says she has knocked on about 1000 doors since starting her campaign in February. 'It's definitely my favourite part of campaigning and being part of council. You talk to loads of different people from different backgrounds and it's really the best way to find out what people care about.' The most common concerns Jones hears from residents is about high rates rises and wasteful spending. 'They want their roads, their rubbish and their rates managed well, and stop the spending on unnecessary things. That's the feedback I'm getting.' The way Jones campaigns has not changed much over the years, she said. While door-knocking, she has noticed more people saying they have 'had enough' of the current city councillors. 'There are far more people that seem to want a change around the council table and there are more people who understand the changes they want is keeping rates down and focusing on the basics.' As a Waipapa Papanui-Innes-Central Community Board member, Jones says she is already in a position to help people with their concerns. 'People point out issues to me with footpaths or graffiti and the like near their houses.' Jones said she ends up reporting a lot of issues to the council via the Snap Send Solve app 'which is a great way of just being of service and getting little things done'. The Innes Ward's growing ethnic diversity has also been a focus for Jones. 'You'll sometimes have multi-generational families from India, for example, and they're actually really interested in engaging with council and knowing how to enrol, even if they have been here just a short time.' Tony Simons (independent, Riccarton Ward) It will the first time Simons' has run for a seat at the council table. He believes he has the skills and knowledge to serve the Riccarton Ward. But Simons readily admits to being 'out of my comfort zone' when asking people to vote for him. 'It can be quite confronting because you're inviting people to reject you. I think what I'm coming to grips with is that you just need to accept that criticism isn't personal. Most of the time it is just people's frustration with the city council.' The former radio and print journalist has enjoyed asking residents about their issues with the council. 'There's concerns around the condition of roads and footpaths and people seem very agitated about council throwing in speed platforms and road humps willy-nilly.' Other issues raised include a lack of on-street parking for people living in new multi-unit properties and too many e-scooter and e-bike users riding on footpaths. Simons has been attending more community events, such as the Riccarton RSA's Anzac Day service and the Buddha's birthday celebration at the Fo Guang Shan Temple. He has also been calling into people's homes to drop of leaflets. Simons said negative social media comments about him had also taken some getting used to. 'There's not too much of it and other people get it way worse but when it gets directed at you, it's much closer to home.' Simons says running as an independent candidate has strengths and challenges. Simons disapproves of party politics in local government, but says some people seem to find it easier to vote for party-aligned candidates. 'When someone's voting for their MP, they don't vote for the Green Party person because they really like the person. It's because they represent the Green brand and values. I have to build my own.' Simons has been walking around commercial centres, such as Bush Inn and Riccarton Rd near Westfield mall, where he has noticed the 'withering' state of businesses. 'It's a shame. They should be real hubs for Christchurch.' Simons plans to keep talking to business owners during his campaign to find why so many are closing their doors in Riccarton.
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Yahoo
Travelling couple share reality of street camping 'anxiety' as Aussie councils crack down
Local governments around Australia continue to grapple with the issue of illegal camping as tourists in campervans travel the country on a budget, while others are forced into van life in a bid to beat the housing crisis. Footage captured by a couple currently doing "a lap" of Australia in their campervan shows the increased "anxiety" free campers can face when trying to find a safe place to park for the night. The video, which has been watched more than 40,000 times this week, shows council rangers shining torches into a 4WD with a rooftop tent while parked in a Perth street. "I think they [the patrols] are unnecessary unless there was probable cause like trash or a noise complaint, but this was at 3.30 am," travelling couple Jesse and Camille, who captured the footage in Scarborough over the weekend, told Yahoo News. "These poor backpackers were fast asleep and were woken up only to pack down their tent and go find another place to park in the city." It's unclear if the backpackers were fined or simply warned and told to "move somewhere else". There has been an uptick in the number of people looking for free camping spots and some are turning to illegal camping for a budget-friendly solution while travelling. This has seen many popular coastal locations inundated with loaded vans, making access difficult for locals. The City of Stirling in Perth did not respond to questions posed by Yahoo News by the time of publication, but neighbouring councils were more forthcoming in detailing their efforts to crack down on campers sleeping in their cars. Local government areas throughout the greater Perth region have been battling with the issue in recent years and the City of Cockburn, in Perth's southern suburbs, confirmed to Yahoo on Tuesday its officers do regular patrols to check vehicles. "Unauthorised camping fluctuates with seasons, social and economic pressures and other contributing factors," a spokesperson for the council said. "The City's officers conduct regular patrols of known unauthorised camping areas to deter the activity, at all times of day and night. "The City attempts to educate people about alternative housing options and areas they can camp legally. "We also liaise with state government agencies and key stakeholders to ensure there is a more consistent approach between land under the City's control, and land like Woodman Point and John Graham Reserve, which are under state government control." The Town of Cambridge council in Perth controversially turned off the hot water at beach showers last year to stop campers using the public amenities, with it only reinstated after a huge backlash from the community. Meanwhile the neighbouring City of Fremantle council introduced four-hour parking at popular South Beach to stop extended stays, with those staying over the time limit facing fines. Snap Send Solve, the council reporting app, told Yahoo News last year there have been thousands of reports of illegally parked caravans and RVs across the country. "These figures underscore a widespread issue across the country, particularly in urban areas where space is limited and pedestrian and road safety are critical," CEO Danny Gorog said. While councils and some locals welcome the crackdown to free up car parks, others have criticised it as many Aussies find themselves turning to mobile accommodation as the rental market becomes increasingly more expensive and the housing crisis continues to leave many homeless. Queensland woman Tania Davies previously told Yahoo News she and her husband were moved on after sleeping in their van at Eagleby Wetlands car park in Logan after council clamped down on illegal camping last year. An Aussie parent and their two children were forced to move into a caravan last month and admitted they are concerned about where they will park their car — with campground fees and the cost of maintaining the caravan likely costing the same each day as "a three-bedroom townhouse a year ago". Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
