Shopping trolley buying guide: which supermarket trolley does your store need?

European, American or Asian style: what the names mean

The three names describe the shape of the basket and chassis, not where the trolley is made.

• European style. A tapered wire basket on a nesting chassis with the handle across the back, the design most UK shoppers know. It nests tightly, turns in narrow aisles and suits 60 L to 240 L baskets. Our largest range.
• American style. A wider, squarer basket with a lower deck under it for bulk packs and a deeper child seat. Suits wide aisles, hypermarkets and cash and carries, from 100 L to 280 L.
• Asian style. A compact, lighter trolley with a shallower basket and smaller footprint, often 60 L to 120 L, for convenience stores and city-centre supermarkets where floor space is tight.

Browse each style from the shopping trolleys range filter, or go straight to European, American or Asian style.

How many litres? Matching basket size to the store

Basket capacity in litres is the first number on every listing. As a rule of thumb:

• 60 L to 100 L: convenience stores, forecourts, small city supermarkets, pharmacies. Short aisles, quick visits.
• 100 L to 180 L: the standard supermarket weekly shop. 125 L and 150 L are the most common sizes in the UK.
• 180 L to 280 L: hypermarkets, cash and carries and wholesalers where customers buy by the case.

A larger basket means a longer trolley and a longer nesting line at the entrance, so check the floor space you have for the trolley bay before choosing the biggest basket.

Wire basket or plastic basket?

Wire (steel) baskets are zinc plated or powder coated steel mesh. They carry more, last longer outdoors and cost less per litre of basket. Plastic baskets on a steel chassis are quieter, lighter to push, will not scratch cars in the car park, and can be moulded in your brand colour. Plastic trolleys cost more per unit but suit premium stores and outdoor trolley bays. See the plastic trolleys.

Child seats, baby seats and children's trolleys

Most supermarket trolleys above 100 L include a fold-down child seat with a safety strap. Some models add a moulded infant carrier for newborns. These are all adult trolleys with a seat, and they sit in the shopping trolley range.

A children's trolley is different: a small 17 L to 50 L trolley that a child pushes beside a parent, often with a flag or toy car front. Stores use a handful of them as a family-friendly touch.

Double basket and basket trolleys

Double basket trolleys stack two baskets on one chassis for a small footprint with more capacity, popular in city supermarkets. Basket trolleys are a light frame on castors that carries one or two hand baskets, so a customer who came in for a basket can keep shopping without swapping to a full trolley.

Coin locks and trolley returns

A coin lock fits the handle and takes a £1 coin or a token, released when the trolley is chained back at the bay. It cuts trolley loss and keeps the car park tidy. Specify coin locks when you order; they are fitted at the factory and set to the coin you choose. Ask for the matching trolley bay rails and chains in the same quote.

Castors: 4 inch or 5 inch, PU or TPR, and the fifth wheel

Castor size is listed in inches on most trolleys: 4 in (100 mm) for indoor stores with smooth floors, 5 in (125 mm) for car parks, ramps and rougher surfaces. Polyurethane (PU) tyres roll easily and wear well; thermoplastic rubber (TPR) tyres are quieter. Some cash and carry trolleys add a fifth wheel under the centre so a long, heavy trolley turns on the spot. Ask about braked castors if your car park slopes.

Zinc plated, chrome or powder coated?

Zinc plated is the standard finish: corrosion resistant and the lowest cost. Zinc with a clear epoxy top coat adds outdoor life. Chrome is the bright showroom finish. Powder coating gives you colour: handles and bumpers in your brand colour are the usual choice, with the basket left zinc. Most factories will also print your logo on the handle for larger orders; tell us the quantity and we will confirm what is possible on the quote.

How many trolleys does a store need?

A common planning figure is one trolley per 3 to 4 square metres of sales area for a supermarket, and more for a cash and carry where every customer takes one. Count your peak-hour customers, allow for trolleys in the car park and bays, and add 10 percent for repairs. Each range has one minimum order quantity and any mix of sizes and styles counts towards it, so you can order a main size plus a few smaller trolleys in the same batch.

Prices, minimum order and delivery

Every shopping trolley in the shop shows its price per unit in GBP ex VAT with quantity tiers. Add the models you want to the basket or email [email protected] with the model, quantity, colour and delivery postcode. We reply with a written quote that includes freight, duty, the lead time and delivery to your site. Trolleys ship nested and shrink-wrapped by sea freight; the lead time and payment terms are confirmed on your quote. See minimum order for how range minimums work.