Tough talk over trolleys

Three retail giants in Broome have been warned to rein in abandoned shopping trolleys - or face having them seized and being fined.

Acting on dozens of complaints, the Shire of Broome has threatened Coles, Woolworths and Target that it will invoke local laws and dish out punishments to stop trolleys spreading across the town and ending up on verges and streets, parking bays, in the mangroves and on private property.

Customers at Coles in Chinatown recently had to insert a gold coin into a mechanism that would unlock the trolley but that was stopped several months ago.

In a letter to the stores, the council said the problem was particularly prevalent around Kennedy Hill and Chapel Street in Chinatown.

Shire rangers visited the outlets and spoke to store managers before the council wrote to them warning that if trolleys found in a public place were not picked-up within 24 hours, a $100 fine would be imposed each time.

Shire president Graeme Campbell said rangers would have the power to seize the trolleys until penalties were paid by the owners.

"It has become quite apparent that shopping trolleys are being abandoned in many and varied places in and around the town centre, which has become a concern for the council," he said.

"I think this has been further exacerbated by one of the major food chains cancelling a gold coin deposit to utilise shopping trolleys."

Mr Campbell believed that system worked to some degree but said it was disconcerting for shoppers pestered by people offering to return them to the store in exchange for the deposit.

"There was humbugging occurring and this was making people feel very uncomfortable," Mr Campbell said.

Coles said the company would continue to improve its trolley service based on customer feedback and that team members were on regular watch for any left abandoned.

Target said it was confident its collection process worked well and urged people to get in touch with the store if they noticed dumped trolleys so they could be "immediately retrieved".

Woolworths said most customers did the right thing and returned trolleys to the provided bays and that private contractors were engaged to patrol the streets and ensure they were not left outside the vicinity of the store.