Kiama Woolworths is not planning to bring in coin-operated trolleys at Kiama Village, but will replace the current trolley fleet with new green recycled or plastic trolleys when the new car park is fully open, which could be as late as March.

Kiama Woolworths Manager Alan, confirmed to The Bugle that the coin-operated trolleys currently at the front of the store were delivered by mistake and will not be used.

“The coin-operated trolleys are stored there as we have nowhere else to put them until they are removed. Kiama Woolworths will receive the new plastic recycled trolleys in both shallow and large sizes, with about 70 per cent in the shallow category as per customer feedback,” Alan said.

The greatly-expanded Kiama Village car park will have one underground level, one basement level, and will also include some rooftop parking.

Alan said the one-hour restriction on the current parking space has worked well, though occasionally customers would assume that any ute was there all day as part of the work site, which is not the case as the site actively monitors any of its workers parking. 

Kiama Snap Fitness will also move into the enlarged Kiama Village.

Aldi has been known for many years to use coin-operated trolleys to minimise theft and have them returned to the trolley bay for the next user. 

Woolworths Warilla Grove has reportedly been using a keyring that operates as a coin for returns, which retails for 50 cents. This has been in response to the high level of trolley theft.

Alan said the rate of trolley theft and abandonment in Kiama is relatively low so the coin operated trolleys are not needed.

A closeup of the Woolworths recycled plastic trolley