Although it’s tempting to imagine trolley shelter security is as simple as locking trolleys up at the end of the day, there’s far more to consider. Security is not only about preventing trolley theft, but also protecting trolleys, shelters and customers from damage or harm. At Shelter Solutions, our trolley shelters are designed with security, safety and durability in mind, and we’re here to help you consider these factors when preparing to install trolley shelters in your supermarket or retail business.
Protecting trolleys against theft
Theft of trolleys during store closing hours is an incredibly common problem faced by retailers. A simple and popular solution to this problem is to install hitch rails on the inside of trolley shelters around which trolleys can be chained and padlocked. This is a low-tech and affordable solution for many businesses, but it does mean that a member of staff must lock up the trolleys at closing time. Plus, it means that trolleys are vulnerable to theft during opening hours when they are left unchained and made available for customer use.
Many supermarkets use deposit systems to prevent trolley theft. This is where interconnecting locks and chains are placed on trolley handles and users must deposit a coin in the lock to free a trolley. The deposit incentivises customers to return their trolley after use. An added benefit of this security system is that it encourages customers to return trolleys to their shelters rather than abandoning them in the middle of the car park where they could pose a safety risk to other drivers.
Securing a shelter from vandalism
Vandalism during closing hours is a big problem for many supermarkets and retailers. It is important that trolley shelters are durable enough to sustain potential damage from vandals. Clear polycarbonate sheets are commonly used to glaze shelters because they offer the same light transmission as glass only with 250 times more strength. As an added benefit, they’re incredibly lightweight which makes installation easier and faster in order to reduce fitting costs. It is almost impossible to smash or destroy polycarbonate, which is why most of the trolley shelters we produce a Shelter Solutions are glazed with 4mm polycarbonate.
We also offer 6mm toughened safety glass should it be preferred, which is incredibly durable but not quite as impact-resistant as polycarbonate. Polycarbonate is definitely the most vandal-resistant glazing option, but 6mm toughened glass is also a very secure option should you prefer the appearance of glass. The benefit of toughened glass is that it breaks into hundreds of tiny, relatively harmless pieces rather than breaking into big, sharp shards like standard glass. This means that if a glazed panel on your trolley shelter is smashed, the resulting broken glass is highly unlikely to pose major harm to customers or staff.
Protecting trolley shelters from wear and tear
Bumper rails are a common and necessary feature of trolley shelters. These are positioned on the closed end of the shelter just below the top edge of the trolley baskets in order to absorb impact when trolleys are bumped against the shelter. At Shelter Solutions, we use non-painted aluminium bumpers. This is because painted bumper rails very quickly become scratched and scraped by repeated impact and subsequently look unsightly.
Many trolley shelters are constructed with polycarbonate roofs. Polycarbonate is a lightweight and durable material, which makes it ideal for outdoor applications like trolley shelters. However, standard polycarbonate can degrade over time due to exposure to UV rays from the sun, leading to warping and discolouration. UV stable polycarbonate has a protective covering that prevents this degradation, which makes it an important feature of a secure and durable shelter. That’s why we always use tinted UV stable polycarbonate trolley shelter roofs here at Shelter Solutions, no matter if you choose a domed, pitched or flat roof.
Shelter safety is as important as security
It is vital that shopping trolleys and trolley shelters are safe for customer use as well as secure enough to protect against theft and vandalism. Trolley shelters can become rusty over the years due to rain exposure, and eventually, this erosion can lead to the frames having rough or sharp surfaces that could pose injuries to customers. However, shelters made from 100% aluminium profiles, such as those produced by us at Shelter Solutions, will never rust even if the paint becomes scratched over time. Aluminium has the added benefit of being incredibly lightweight, which means aluminium shelters have the added benefit of cheaper fitting costs compared to heavier steel shelters.
Another risk to consider is the possibility of trolleys rolling back out of the shelter and into pedestrians or vehicles. When trolleys are nested together they can become very heavy and quickly pick up speed on sloped ground. A line of nested trolleys could do serious injury to a pedestrian and significant damage to a vehicle. To avoid this, businesses often install rollback strips on the open side of trolley shelters which keep the trolley’s safely contained. It’s also important to carefully choose the location of a shelter; avoid installing one on a sloped area where possible, and if it is absolutely necessary, be sure that the open side of the shelter faces uphill rather than downhill.
If you’re looking for secure, safe and durable supermarket trolley storage for your business, be sure to check out our bespoke shelters. We custom build each shelter to suit the unique needs of each business and we’re happy to help you choose the right materials, features, shapes and sizes to meet your requirements.