Canberra shoppers have uncovered what’s being dubbed a “trolley war” between Coles and Woolworths in Dickson, after a sign on the Woolies trolleys revealed they’ll lock when taken near Coles.

Both supermarkets sit side by side in adjacent shopping complexes, but thanks to new geo-locking technology designed to stop trolleys being taken too far, customers can’t wheel them between the two.

The sign, shared on Reddit, explains that Woolworths’ new trolleys lock near Coles due to their containment system, which was designed to stop carts from being taken beyond store boundaries. Coles has used similar technology since 2023 to prevent abandoned trolleys in local carparks.

Rod and Gabi on HIT 104.7 were surprised this is making national news so they sent Baby Wes down to test it out!