Guide · · Shopping Trolleys
Shopping trolley sizes, dimensions and cost: which trolley your store needs
A convenience store usually runs 60 L to 100 L shopping trolleys, a supermarket 120 L to 180 L, and a hypermarket or cash and carry 200 L to 280 L. Measure your narrowest aisle and checkout lane before you choose, because the trolley must pass both with room to turn. New trade shopping trolleys start from £16 ex VAT, bulk price, and style, child seat, coin lock, colour and logo are set on your written quote.
Which shopping trolley capacity does your store need?
Start with the basket, not the price: a shopping trolley (also called a shopping cart or supermarket trolley) is sized in litres, and the factory-direct range on this site runs from 60 L to 280 L. The right capacity depends on what a typical customer buys in one visit and how wide your aisles are.
- Convenience store, forecourt or small format grocer: 60 L to 100 L. Customers buy a handful of items and aisles are narrow, so a compact trolley that nests short and turns in a tight space wins. The 100 L plastic convenience store trolley is from £36 ex VAT, bulk price.
- Supermarket: 120 L to 180 L. This is the weekly shop. A 130 L European style trolley from £24 ex VAT, bulk price, or a 180 L American style trolley from £21 ex VAT, bulk price, carries a full basket and takes a child seat at the handle end.
- Cash and carry, wholesaler or hypermarket: 200 L to 280 L. Trade customers buy cases and catering packs, so the basket has to be deep and the chassis strong. The 240 L Asian style mesh trolley is from £24 ex VAT, bulk price.
If you are between two sizes, go smaller: a trolley that is too big for the aisle slows every customer behind it.
Typical shopping trolley dimensions by basket size
Basket capacity in litres is the number trolleys are sold by, but the length, width and height decide whether a trolley fits your aisles, checkout lanes and trolley bay. The table gives the typical overall size at each common capacity, taken from the product specifications of the trolleys we list: the median length, width and height of the models at that size, rounded to 5 mm.
| Basket capacity | Typical size, L x W x H | Usual store |
|---|---|---|
| 60 L | 760 x 545 x 1000 mm | Convenience store, forecourt |
| 80 L | 805 x 520 x 960 mm | Convenience store, forecourt |
| 90 L | 845 x 570 x 895 mm | Convenience store, forecourt |
| 100 L | 880 x 510 x 1020 mm | Convenience store, forecourt |
| 130 L | 875 x 500 x 1020 mm | Supermarket |
| 150 L | 985 x 570 x 965 mm | Supermarket |
| 180 L | 1075 x 595 x 1060 mm | Supermarket |
| 190 L | 1010 x 620 x 990 mm | Large supermarket |
| 210 L | 1030 x 595 x 1030 mm | Hypermarket, cash and carry |
| 240 L | 1115 x 600 x 1040 mm | Hypermarket, cash and carry |
Sizes vary between models of the same capacity, so check the exact dimensions on each product page before you order. The nested length per trolley is confirmed on your written quote.
European, American, Asian or plastic: what is the difference?
The four names describe the chassis and basket design; all are made to order at our partner factories.
European style. Four swivel castors, a wire basket with a rear flap that swings up so trolleys nest tightly, and a lower tray for bulky packs. It turns on the spot, which suits short aisles. The 130 L European style metal shopping trolley is the standard supermarket size, from £24 ex VAT, bulk price.
American style. Two fixed rear wheels and two swivel front castors, a deeper basket and a wider stance. It tracks straight down a long aisle but needs more room to turn. The 180 L American style shopping trolley is from £21 ex VAT, bulk price.
Asian style. A lighter wire mesh body on a narrow footprint, easy to steer and compact when nested. Capacity runs large for the weight: the Asian style mesh trolley holds 240 L and is from £24 ex VAT, bulk price.
Plastic. A moulded polypropylene basket on a steel chassis. Quieter on hard floors, no rust, and it can be coloured to match your fascia. The trade-off is cost per litre: the 100 L plastic convenience store trolley is from £36 ex VAT, bulk price.
Shopping trolley comparison: capacity, style and price
Guide prices are factory list prices converted to GBP ex VAT; freight, duty and VAT are confirmed on your written quote.
| Style | Capacity | Basket | Suits | Guide price per unit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American style | 180 L | Metal wire | Supermarket, long aisles | from £21 ex VAT, bulk price |
| European style | 130 L | Metal wire | Supermarket, short aisles | from £24 ex VAT, bulk price |
| Asian style | 240 L | Metal mesh | Cash and carry, hypermarket | from £24 ex VAT, bulk price |
| Plastic | 100 L | Polypropylene | Convenience store, shopping mall | from £36 ex VAT, bulk price |
A bigger basket does not always cost more, so compare on style as well as litres. Larger quantities get lower unit prices.
Child seats, coin locks, castors, colours and logos: what can you specify?
Every trolley is made to order, so the options are set when you send your quote request. The main ones are:
- Child seat. A fold-down seat at the handle end with a safety strap. Usually specified on supermarket sizes and left off small convenience trolleys.
- Coin lock. A coin or token operated lock on the handle, chained to the next trolley in the bay, so trolleys come back from the car park. State coin or token when you order.
- Castors. Swivel on all four corners (European) or fixed rear (American), and a tread to suit your floor: softer is quieter on tiles, harder rolls more easily over a rough car park. Ask for a brake castor if your site has a slope.
- Finish and colour. Zinc plated or galvanised wire for the standard silver look, powder coating for a coloured chassis, or a plastic basket in your brand colour, with handle grips and seat panels to match.
- Logo and advertising. A printed handle panel, a plate on the basket front or an advertising board. Send artwork with the quote request and the print method is confirmed on the quote.
Decide litres and style first, then add the options.
Can you order any quantity of shopping trolleys?
Yes. Order one trolley for a trial or a full fleet for every branch; larger quantities get lower unit prices. Tell us how many of each model you need and your written quote confirms the price for that quantity.
A group replacing fleets across branches can combine sizes on one quote. If you buy regularly or resell to retailers, open a trade account so quotes go through faster.
Every batch is inspected before dispatch and you receive photos and video of your own trolleys. Delivery is anywhere in the UK, with freight confirmed on your written quote.
What to check before you buy a shopping trolley
- Aisle width and checkout lane. Push a trolley of the intended size through your narrowest aisle and checkout lane.
- Nested length. Measure the bay, then ask for the nested length per trolley on your quote so you know how many fit.
- Floor surfaces. Tile inside, tarmac outside, a kerb ramp between. Tell us the surfaces and we match the castor tread.
- Weather. Trolleys left outside overnight want galvanised or zinc plated wire, or a plastic basket.
- Coin lock or not. Decide before you order, because the lock is fitted at the factory.
- Rated load. A cash and carry trolley carries cases, so check the load per trolley on your quote, not just the litres.
- Warranty and returns. Read the warranty and returns page so you know what is covered on a made-to-order batch before you sign off.
Then add the models to the basket on the shopping trolley range page. The basket is an order request, not a payment: you receive a written quote by email confirming price, freight, duty, VAT and lead time, valid for 30 days.
Shopping trolleys discussed in this guide
European Style Metal Shopping Trolleyfrom £24 ex VAT, bulk price
180L American Classic Mesh Steel Shopping Trolleyfrom £21 ex VAT, bulk price
Asian Style 150L Heavy Duty Supermarket Grocery Metal Shopping Trolleyfrom £24 ex VAT, bulk price
Convenience Store Supermarket Basket Shopping Plasticsfrom £36 ex VAT, bulk price
180 L European Style Mesh Folding Shopping Trolleyfrom £24 ex VAT, bulk priceQuestions people ask
How much does a shopping trolley cost?
New trade shopping trolleys start from £16 ex VAT, bulk price. Plastic basket trolleys cost more per unit than wire ones, and the style matters as much as the basket size.
What are the main types of shopping trolley?
European style (four swivel castors, nests tightly), American style (fixed rear wheels, wider stance), Asian style (a lighter wire mesh body), plastic basket trolleys, double basket trolleys, and special trolleys such as advertising board trolleys and trolleys with a baby seat.
What size is a standard UK supermarket trolley?
Most UK supermarkets use trolleys between 120 L and 180 L. Smaller 60 L to 100 L trolleys suit convenience stores.
What are the dimensions of a shopping trolley?
On our listings a 100 L trolley is typically about 880 x 510 x 1020 mm (length x width x height) and a 180 L trolley about 1075 x 595 x 1060 mm. Each product page gives the exact size.
What is the difference between a European and an American shopping trolley?
A European style trolley has four swivel castors and turns on the spot, which suits short aisles. An American style trolley has fixed rear wheels and swivel front castors, so it tracks straight down long aisles but needs more room to turn.
Can I have shopping trolleys in my own colours with a logo?
Yes. Every trolley is made to order, so you can specify a powder coated chassis, a coloured plastic basket, matching handle grips and a printed logo panel or advertising board. Send artwork with the quote request and the print method is confirmed on the quote.
Do shopping trolleys come with a coin lock and child seat?
Both are options rather than standard fittings. Child seats are usually specified on supermarket sizes, and coin locks are fitted at the factory for a coin or a token. Ask for them on your quote request.
