Which shopping trolley size and style should your store buy?

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 £41 ex VAT at trade quantities (minimum order applies), minimum order 10 units.
• Supermarket: 120 L to 180 L. This is the weekly shop. A 130 L European style trolley from £21 ex VAT at trade quantities (minimum order applies), or a 180 L American style trolley from £19 ex VAT at trade quantities (minimum order applies), 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 £23 ex VAT at trade quantities (minimum order applies).

If you are between two sizes, go smaller: a trolley that is too big for the aisle slows every customer behind it.

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 £21 ex VAT at trade quantities (minimum order applies).

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 £19 ex VAT at trade quantities (minimum order applies), with a minimum order of 10 units.

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 lightweight mesh Asian style trolley holds 240 L and is from £23 ex VAT at trade quantities (minimum order applies).

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 light duty plastic convenience store trolley is from £41 ex VAT at trade quantities (minimum order applies).

Shopping trolley comparison: capacity, style, price and minimum order

Guide prices are factory list prices converted to GBP ex VAT; freight, duty and VAT are confirmed on your written quote.

A bigger basket does not always cost more, so compare on style and minimum order as well as litres. All four prices are at trade quantities (minimum order applies).

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 place the order 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 order request and the print method is confirmed on the quote.

Decide litres and style first, then add the options.

How many shopping trolleys do you have to order?

Shopping trolleys are a retail range, sold at trade quantities with a minimum order per model. For the four trolleys above it is 10 units for the 180 L American style and the 100 L plastic trolley, 20 units for the 240 L Asian style and 50 units for the 130 L European style. Full details are on the minimum order page.

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

1. Aisle width and checkout lane. Push a trolley of the intended size through your narrowest aisle and checkout lane.
2. Nested length. Measure the bay, then ask for the nested length per trolley on your quote so you know how many fit.
3. Floor surfaces. Tile inside, tarmac outside, a kerb ramp between. Tell us the surfaces and we match the castor tread.
4. Weather. Trolleys left outside overnight want galvanised or zinc plated wire, or a plastic basket.
5. Coin lock or not. Decide before you order, because the lock is fitted at the factory.
6. Rated load. A cash and carry trolley carries cases, so check the load per trolley on your quote, not just the litres.
7. 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, minimum order and lead time, valid for 30 days.