AIBU to object to an older child sitting directly in a food trolley?

KidsDoBetter · 2026-07-02T06:35:09+00:00

Local m&s food hall. An older lady (presumably) grandma - is wheeling around one of the small size metal shopping trolleys. Inside it is a girl about 8 cross-legged (she takes up most of the space obvs) wearing a pair of crocs. The soles of which are filthy (as indeed would be mine). Chatting away and delighted with herself. It was lovely she was enjoying being with her granny. No signs of disability (later saw them in car park). As they stood beside me I did say “that looks like fun but you do know people put their food in there and you’ve got your shoes in it”. Grandma tutted and said “forget about it” in a slight non-sequitur . But it’s gross right. This was not a baby / toddler seat trolley. Nor was the child any younger than 7 max …

MadisonMarieParksValetta · 07/07/2026 14:06

Yep I only use the clean trolleys that have been fully sanitised 🙄

ToadRage · 07/07/2026 13:37

Used to see this all the time. Drove me mad cos most trolleys have warnings stating not to do this.

TheyGrewUp · 07/07/2026 13:06

@KidsDoBetter I don't like it either but wouldn't have said my thoughts out loud. However, I'm oretty sure that when mine were little, the store manager would have had something to say. Ditto skates, scooters and bicycles. I'd not have dared.

Original poster

KidsDoBetter · 07/07/2026 13:00

mrpenny · 02/07/2026 23:26

OK..let me explain. OP said, ‘older woman’, ‘ granny’, ‘grandma’ and ‘granny’ ..FOur times??? Clear enough?What the hell has her age got to do with it? Always the same on mumsnet

Show quote history

I was just explaining the context that it was a kid (not a toddler) with her grandmother (not her mother or older sister say). I am no spring chicken myself of that helps. Or maybe that’s internalised ageism now. Lord knows.

totally accept I am being unreasonable on the hygiene point. Maybe less so on safety of the child given a couple of salutary tales shared by others (which I hadn’t actually thought of so there you go 🤣).

Can’t do an AIBU and not accept at 75% majority.

Sorry also for dropping off thread. V irritating when posters do that 😬

OP posts:

Newname26 · 05/07/2026 08:11

Cherrytree86 · 04/07/2026 14:09

@Kalanthe

i often give the trolley handles a wipe over with spray

Show quote history

Do you carry your own spray?

Cherrytree86 · 04/07/2026 14:09

Kalanthe · 04/07/2026 13:43

I would be more worried about faecal bacteria on trolley handles from people not washing their hands after going to the bathroom. You touch the handle then food. Trolleys are filthy inside whether a child sits there or not. They don't get scrubbed with dettol every night.

@Kalanthe

i often give the trolley handles a wipe over with spray

Kalanthe · 04/07/2026 13:43

I would be more worried about faecal bacteria on trolley handles from people not washing their hands after going to the bathroom. You touch the handle then food. Trolleys are filthy inside whether a child sits there or not. They don't get scrubbed with dettol every night.

Newname26 · 04/07/2026 10:35

scalt · 04/07/2026 07:01

I think this thread shows that some people miss 2020, and when MN was nothing but furious frothing. It would have been “AIBU that the child is killing her granny, by going to the supermarket with her?”

Show quote history

I don't think anyone misses covid, but trolley handles hould be cleaned more than they are.

Twinkylightsg · 04/07/2026 07:04

Oh come off it

scalt · 04/07/2026 07:01

Cappuccino5 · 03/07/2026 00:17

What on earth has Covid got to do with it?

Show quote history

I think this thread shows that some people miss 2020, and when MN was nothing but furious frothing. It would have been “AIBU that the child is killing her granny, by going to the supermarket with her?”

mrpenny · 03/07/2026 21:52

Honeyhonayboo · 03/07/2026 21:08

Her age wasn’t repeated 4 times, her relationship to the child was.
I’m sure you wouldn’t have had an issue with the comment referencing “mother”.

You’re being defensive and looking for a fight with your faux offence at a likely grandmother being called grandmother in relation to her interaction with the child.

Show quote history

Ah yes, I see where your difficulty lies. You think my use of Age here refers to an actual age in years rather than the metalinguistic sense I understood it to refer to….
LOL at faux offence.🤣🤣. It’s real not faux…

HolyHannah · 03/07/2026 21:36

Newname26 · 03/07/2026 21:02

I'm not disagreeing.
Trollies are minging, people are minging, probably a bit like money is minging, handled by lots of people with filthy hands and never cleaned.
It might have been nice if supermarkets had kept the cleaned stations for trolly handles

Show quote history

Our local Sainsbury's and Asda have!

Honeyhonayboo · 03/07/2026 21:08

mrpenny · 03/07/2026 20:00

YEs, once probably OK but, I repeat, she mentioned her age four times. Totally unnecessary.
I take your point but pretty sure that if it were the other way round, the words‘young mother ‘ would not have been repeated. Seems there are endless ways to drive the reference to age home on this site..nan, nanny, gran, granny, grandma, older woman, elderly woman,whatever. We get your point. 🙄

Show quote history

Her age wasn’t repeated 4 times, her relationship to the child was.
I’m sure you wouldn’t have had an issue with the comment referencing “mother”.

You’re being defensive and looking for a fight with your faux offence at a likely grandmother being called grandmother in relation to her interaction with the child.

mrpenny · 03/07/2026 21:04

Imdunfer · 03/07/2026 20:47

Haven't you seen people ask the same question over and over on this forum unless posters repeat details? I'm old, I don't have any problem with what she wrote. From what I see around me it's much more likely to be a young Mum that lets a child sit inside a trolley and I suspect she's mentioning the age precisely because it's not usually an older person.

Show quote history

OK…I get your point. You don’t have a problem.

I do..and I tried to explain it…..but whatever…🙄

Newname26 · 03/07/2026 21:02

IonianNerveGrip · 03/07/2026 12:59

I would still have pointed out to anyone raising hygiene issues that the child's shoes were the least of their concerns! It's dangerous for the child, but other than that it's just more sensible to proceed on the assumption that supermarket trolleys are minging.

Show quote history

I'm not disagreeing.
Trollies are minging, people are minging, probably a bit like money is minging, handled by lots of people with filthy hands and never cleaned.
It might have been nice if supermarkets had kept the cleaned stations for trolly handles

mathanxiety · 03/07/2026 20:52

Trollies are not clean whether footwear comes in contact with them or not. They're kept outside with mice and rats scurrying all over them all night and birds pooping on them all day. When they're in use, meat juices drip on them, and they're in contact with other food bits too.

Imdunfer · 03/07/2026 20:47

mrpenny · 03/07/2026 20:00

YEs, once probably OK but, I repeat, she mentioned her age four times. Totally unnecessary.
I take your point but pretty sure that if it were the other way round, the words‘young mother ‘ would not have been repeated. Seems there are endless ways to drive the reference to age home on this site..nan, nanny, gran, granny, grandma, older woman, elderly woman,whatever. We get your point. 🙄

Show quote history

Haven't you seen people ask the same question over and over on this forum unless posters repeat details? I'm old, I don't have any problem with what she wrote. From what I see around me it's much more likely to be a young Mum that lets a child sit inside a trolley and I suspect she's mentioning the age precisely because it's not usually an older person.

TowerRavenSeven · 03/07/2026 20:09

Yabu and I never put my kid in one either.

mrpenny · 03/07/2026 20:00

Imdunfer · 03/07/2026 07:47

But if she hadn't done that people would be continually asking what age the woman was, a lot of them in the hope of blaming a young mother, always the same on Mumsnet.

Show quote history

YEs, once probably OK but, I repeat, she mentioned her age four times. Totally unnecessary.
I take your point but pretty sure that if it were the other way round, the words‘young mother ‘ would not have been repeated. Seems there are endless ways to drive the reference to age home on this site..nan, nanny, gran, granny, grandma, older woman, elderly woman,whatever. We get your point. 🙄

IonianNerveGrip · 03/07/2026 12:59

Newname26 · 03/07/2026 10:53

At least they're was cleaning facilities to wipe the handles even if the rest of it was bacteria ridden

Show quote history

I would still have pointed out to anyone raising hygiene issues that the child's shoes were the least of their concerns! It's dangerous for the child, but other than that it's just more sensible to proceed on the assumption that supermarket trolleys are minging.

Newname26 · 03/07/2026 10:53

IonianNerveGrip · 03/07/2026 06:49

They weren't clean during covid either!

Show quote history

At least they're was cleaning facilities to wipe the handles even if the rest of it was bacteria ridden

LilacReader · 03/07/2026 09:58

GreatThingsAwait · 03/07/2026 08:54

I think it’s gross to let kids wearing shoes in a trolley. It’s easy to take shoes off.
I wouldn’t bother commenting to someone about it though.
Kids shouldn’t ever be in the cart section of the trolley though as it’s not what they are designed for and could potentially be dangerous.

Believe me, you're right, it is so dangerous. I used to work on the tills at a Supermarket and I've seen plenty an ambulance called due to children falling out of trollies. They look like they should be fine as they are high-sided but a few items in the trolley that children can stand on and falling over the sides is pretty common to see.

GreatThingsAwait · 03/07/2026 08:54

I think it’s gross to let kids wearing shoes in a trolley. It’s easy to take shoes off.
I wouldn’t bother commenting to someone about it though.
Kids shouldn’t ever be in the cart section of the trolley though as it’s not what they are designed for and could potentially be dangerous.

Imdunfer · 03/07/2026 07:47

mrpenny · 02/07/2026 23:26

OK..let me explain. OP said, ‘older woman’, ‘ granny’, ‘grandma’ and ‘granny’ ..FOur times??? Clear enough?What the hell has her age got to do with it? Always the same on mumsnet

Show quote history

But if she hadn't done that people would be continually asking what age the woman was, a lot of them in the hope of blaming a young mother, always the same on Mumsnet.

IonianNerveGrip · 03/07/2026 06:49

Cappuccino5 · 03/07/2026 00:17

What on earth has Covid got to do with it?

Show quote history

They weren't clean during covid either!