Tesco will be leaving more than 100,000 trollies unlocked across the UK after it missed Sunday’s deadline to update its trollies to accept the new £1 coin.
The major supermarket chain currently charges a £1 deposit for trollies in more than 200 UK stores, but the trollies were not ready for the currency change on October 15, when the old style £1 coin ceased being legal tender.
Video: Ben Bristow, a DMU Student, discussing Tesco and the new £1 coin
In a statement, Tesco confirmed trolleys would be left unlocked and attendants would be on hand to make sure customers could still use them, with Leicester’s superstore one of just 200 nationwide that still charges for trolly use.
However, DMU student Ben Bristow said: “I went to Tesco to do my big weekly shop, kitted out with my new £1 coins, having spent all of my old ones, only to find that I couldn’t access any of the trollies for my shop.
“I read that all the trollies would be unlocked and help would be available, but all the trollies were locked up and no help was to be seen anywhere.
“Surely a company as big as Tesco would have had the foresight to fix this issue within the six months that they would’ve know about the new coin coming out? It seems a bit of a joke to me.”
Hazel Stronach, another DMU student, added: “I think it’s ridiculous that I’ve just got rid of all my old coins and now I can’t get a trolly for my shopping.
“I always have to buy too much for a basket and this just makes my shopping really difficult and a big issue.”
In a statement Tesco explained its stores would be accepting the old £1 coins in its self service and cash tills for another week only – in order to help its customers who still have some of the £500million old style coins in circulation.
