To believe that kids sat inside supermarket trolleys is disgusting

[37KAT]

Just that really.
Never allowed my DC to do it.

I think it is gross that some guardians allow children to sit amongst the groceries in the supermarket trolley.
Makes me shudder that they could have dog shit or other unmentionables on their outside footwear. This would contaminate their shopping and the next unsuspecting persons. I also think it's dangerous having a kid hanging off the edge of a trolley. Pisses me off to see this. Am I alone?

It irrationally annoys me too, not so much from the dirty shoes thing as the trollies are kept outside and could be covered in pigeon shit and whatever. But I hate seeing kids half hanging out them as I get images of them falling out and cracking their heads open.

I didn't do it because it's unsafe. I didn't want DC slipping and knocking out a tooth or getting a hand or finger trapped.
The germ thing never occurred to me and now OP has suggested it, it still doesn't bother me. I think a certain amount of exposure to germs and bacteria boosts our immune system and I also practice good enough food hygiene at home to protect against the very few dangerous bugs out there.

maybe if the shop provided the trollies for older kids to sit in that can't walk much...

OP I agree with you, I would never put a child of mine in a supermarket trolley, hands always get sanitised the minute I leave the store.

I live opposite a Tesco mega store. I worked there for many years. I can say with stone cold certainty that trolleys are left out all night and that the car parks and surrounding shrubbery and railway embankments are crawling with foxes and rats.

Trolleys aren't clean anyway.

And unless you bring antibacterial spray or hot soapy water and wash down the shopping cart's handle and edges that you'll be touching to move around the shop, you're passing on everything on that handle to the items you pick up anyway. And if you handle packages of raw meat, especially chicken, those are also known to be problematic when it comes to germs.

Get a grip.

Safety is an entirely different issue, but your concerns are just silly considering those spaces aren't clean in the first place.

Chewybacca
Exactly, is really potentially dangerous. My friends DS spilt his forehead as Sainsbury's concrete floor was rather unforgiving. Points taken re trolleys kept outside.

Well, I do agree with you, OP, and have the same concerns about dog poo transfer ... but I do it anyway because everyone else does. I'd welcome a ban on it, but I also accept these trolleys may have bird poo on them, and the food transferred there has been manhandled all over the show so I just wash everything when I get home anyway.

Two separate issues you've mentioned: hygiene and poorly attended children injuring themselves falling out of trolleys.

I think you should save your hand wringing and pearl clutching for more pressing matters.

I don't often put my 4 YO in the trolley but when my 2 YO is occupying the seat and I only want 1 or 2 items it is so much easier/quicker/less stressful/more pleasant for other shoppers and us if I put him in the trolley. If he had dog shit on his shoes (this almost never happens, my DC know to look where they tread and I'm constantly reminding them because I know people are lazy) I would take his shoes off before putting him in the trolley. I'm more worried about what he's going to get on himself from sitting in the trolley and so I always lay a blanket in first for his comfort

Also, he never stands up. I tell him the rules and the consequences if he breaks them (pretty sure it's called parenting) and make sure I follow through. The small amount of time we are in the supermarket he's more interested in enjoying the ride than being naughty.

I'm with you OP, it’s grim! People should be able to control their children in the supermarket without resorting to putting them in trolleys usually glued to a tablet / device. I used to work in a supermarket and have seen some nasty injuries to children riding in the trolley.

If they're still toddlers, I agree that they're safer in the trolley than running around; there is a seat provided so use it. If too big for the seat, and assuming no additional needs, they are old enough to learn to walk around nicely. Engage them in the shopping - get them to pick items off the list for you, choose a flavour of yogurt / crisps, weigh the veg etc.

honestly OP, try not to think about it next time you're at the supermarket. its really outside of your control. if you thought about everything in contamination terms, you'd never go out.

Yes ! We all do it ! Worse things to be getting ya knickers in a twist about.

"I was shopping yesterday and saw a child who was at least 9 or 10 say in the trolley. That was weird"

Maybe the child had a disability and the store didn't have a suitable trolley for the child. Although I expect if they did you would say that was weird as well.

no you are not alone in this, it is bogging tbh.

Can anyone who does this explain what’s wrong with using the seats?

I’ve observed that most of the kids i see in the trolley (the bit where food goes) are too big to be safely using the trolley seats.

Engage them in the shopping - get them to pick items off the list for you, choose a flavour of yogurt / crisps, weigh the veg etc

Aren't the days long enough, not everything has to be a learning experience for kids! Sometimes you just have to bing gem somewhere they'll remain the quietest and get your shit done.

Also, I like weighing the veg, seeing what price comes up and printing the little sticker off, the kids can feck off

Normal germs are a normal part of life, wouldn't want my child brought up in a sterile environment which fucks up their immune system. Happily let my DC in the trolley to play with shopping whilst I go around the supermarket.

The children forced to be tied into the restrictive backward sitting seats are always wailing and screaming blue murder. Why is that?

Also, I like weighing the veg, seeing what price comes up and printing the little sticker off, the kids can feck off

Hahaha this is me too

Can anyone who does this explain what’s wrong with using the seats?

My child screams the place down, every now and then, about sitting in the seat.

I work 50 hour weeks, I’m a single mother aren’t and my child has long days at nursery a couple of days a week.

No, I don’t give a fuck what others might think of me when I let my child sit in the trolly rather than in a seat. We need to eat and needs must.

I sometimes put my 2 year old in , but she's straight out as soon as she spots the peperami, I think it looks ridiculous when their are kids over the age of 3/4 In them though why?!

I’ve done and don’t think it is disgusting. There was a programme about hygiene a few years back and the shopping trolley handles and absolutely crawling with germs. As for the packaging, they were covered in germs too.
For those who berate parents who can’t control their children, that’s what they’re trying to do! Yes, in a perfect world your child would be walking around helping Mummy and Daddy with the shopping. However your 3 year old might be having a stroppy day, parent may be single or need to go shopping and the easier least stressful way is to put said child in the trolley. My 3 year is too big for the seats otherwise she would sit in one.
Seriously I you are that worried about you’d better clean the trolley before you put food in it.

Never did this with my kids. Why can't they just walk once they're too big to go in the seat?

Because some of them can't just walk.

Slightly off topic, but I wish they made forward facing trolley seats. My DS would bloody love it, the nosey bugger.