Shopping trolley theory - be honest!

[texasholden]

The theory is that if you return it you’re a good person and if you don’t then you’re a shit person.

Shopping Cart Theory suggests the ultimate way to test moral goodness is to see whether or not someone will do the “right” thing in the absence of accountability, consequence, or reward.

Have you ever not bothered?

I am so boring that it has genuinely never occurred to me that not taking the trolley back could be an option. When I'm at the trolley shelter, I tidy up all the other trolleys and make sure they are neatly ordered. You don't have to pay for them at my local Tesco.
Reading that back to myself has made me realize that I am a Grade A f***g loser.

I always do, but I really hate doing it- local supermarket has really inconvenient return spots that usually I park far away from. But equally, it's not the responsibility of the (usually) minimum wage trolley collector to have to go round the whole sodding car park juts because someone can't be arsed spending an extra 2 minutes returning the trolley. I think some people are missing the point of what the phrase/ theory is. Returning your trolley 'gives you nothing- no one will question it, no one will call you out for it, there is no consequence. So the idea is that if there is no reward, and you do it anyway, it's altruistic. And supposed to give an indication of the type of person you intrinsically are.

I take them back not because I'm a 'good' person but because I'm not a lazy shit.

Since having babies, I won't return them when it means leaving a little one alone in the car #sorrynotsorry

Otherwise, I'd always return them.

Yea 3/4 of the time I put it in the bay before I leave the shop and carry my bags away but sometimes I just cba to take it back and leave it on the path. The trolley people come and get it. I'm not an arsehole generally speaking.

For all you people leaving their trolley for the staff to collect, I bet you are also complaining about the price of your groceries too. You do realise that the more staff a supermarket has to employ, the higher they have to price their goods to cover costs?

That’s why men never return them.

Yes this. They have pretty much automated all jobs now. Trolley collectors going to be the last man standing.

It doesn't make you a good person if you return a trolley, and a bad person if you don't. But people who always do will be more likely to be someone who lacks independent thought and behaviour, and vice versa

Plenty of people take products out of fridge sections (sausages, whole chickens, yoghurts, milk etc) and then abandon them on any warm shelf in the shop. Loads of bastards around. The suspects are always those without a basket or trolley.

It sounds like one of Donald Trumps...

Well i generally do, however my local Asda has the entrance to the trolley bays on the opposite side to the paths that access your car. If all the parking spaces are taken in the row you have to push it all the way down the row then all the way back up the other side behind all the parked cars to return after loading. Reluctant to just load from the car park, especially with dc as not only is that a less safe way to access your car but the car park is so bumpy that eggs, soft fruit and anything else delicate get a good rattling on the way - think it through Asda!

I will put it near or in the walkway rather than the hold area because Tesco are a bunch of scrimping wankers who prioritise their shareholders over everything then have the cheek to bullshit in their adverts about how they are helping me - no not when you cut back on other makes of products, reduce checkout staff to 1 - if their trolley collectors have to walk another 20 steps I don't care and nor do the collectors as they get paid the same however far they walk.

Well using that argument prices should have dropped considerably since the introduction of self scan tills but, guess what, they've increased instead!

I've stopped bothering at my local Asda becuase they've moved the trolleys out of the shelter at the front of the shop and put them round the side in the rain. So you park near the front of the shop becuase you have a toddler and are heavily pregnant then have to walk all the way around the side to get a wet trolley. I'm not doing that walk twice. I'm saving someone else the walk really.

When I worked in a supermarket collecting trolleys was a great way to get out of the shop and into fresh air. If there were trolleys scattered everywhere it took longer and we loved it 😂

So I rarely take my trolley back, only if it’s windy as I don’t want cars damaged
or if it’s raining so shop staff don’t get wet collecting them all.

Depending on pain level I have not put the trolley back. I would look around for any children and ask mum/dad if their child could put my trolly back and keep the £1.

This thread is wild. Some people are so het up over nothing!

It's a solid theory in principle. There's no benefit to you returning the trolley (token trolleys don't count) but you know it "should" be done. Are you a lazy, good for nothing piece of shit or compliant? That's a joke before someone comes at me!

I at least return the trolley to a safe place. 9.5 times out of ten that's a designated bay but sometimes it's out the front of the store as I find those ones really helpful personally. I've seen so many cars hit by stray trolleys and it's not fair. It's also a cunt move to leave it in the space where a car should go but now can't because there's a trolley.

I don't use supermarkets where you have to unlock the trolley with a £1. Have always taken my trolley back and I judge the people who don't bother in the same way that I judge people who drop litter - I assume that they're lazy and selfish.

I can see why. Hopefully most supermarkets make it easier for families and add car parking places next to the trolleys.

What does the theory say about people who take it back but abandon it in the trolley store in such a way that its effectively full when there are only 8 trollies in it.

Or continue clipping the trollies in to get the their £1 back even when the line of trollies have spilled out and is obstructing the road.

Or take it back but leave their rubbish in them?

I always park next to the trolley area so it’s a non-issue.

I always take it back. Only assholes leave it where it will disturb other drivers / pedestrians.

There’s a certain type of smug, “I’m a very good person”, helping-out-the-poor-staff behaviour that the ACTUAL STAFF have said is not necessary or actively hinders them. I’ve noticed it often on Mumsnet and I see it here.

Taking trolleys back and tidying up extra ones (staff liked being outside longer, enjoyed the walk, gave them work to do), stripping beds (creates worry about what had happened, is an expected part of the job and not a hard bit, breaks the routine), stacking plates in a restaurant (I hated this as a waitress, I had my way to carry and sort the stuff and you were forced to carry an unstable stack that you couldn’t re stack because the bottoms of the plates were dirty. Plus napkins and cutlery ready to fall off the top). With the plates I was often greeted with a “you’re welcome” sort of smile and had to try to look grateful even though I was annoyed.

Miminum wage staff work hard but they work honestly for their money. It’s not slavery and it’s patronising to think you need to “help out”. Just don’t actively hinder people (putting trolley in a stream, shitting in the bed etc). Doing the job you’re trained and paid to do is no hardship.

Wow, interesting take!

I used to be a waitress and would hate how the whole table stopped and stared as I stacked plates. I always stack to make the interaction as quick and painless as possible. If I can't make it easier, I leave them.

I take the trolley back to save the cars, not to help the staff.