Supercart Australia recently launched a range of Australian Made hybrid shopping trolleys at the Inside Retail Live Expo that was held at the MCEC from the 28th February to the 2nd March.
At the Expo we received much interest in our colourfully-branded shopping trolleys as well as questions on Supercarts’ offerings. The most interesting question we received was how Supercart's offering of trolleys differed to the current metal clunkers currently found in grocery retail stores. We were delighted to explain the following main differences, features and benefits Supercart hybrid shopping trolleys bring to the retail industry:
Australian Made – in Campbellfield, VIC. We are the only Australian manufacturer of hybrid shopping trolleys in Australia, providing the following benefits:
o Quick and efficient supply of quality shopping trolleys, through the retention and utilisation of automotive component manufacturing capabilities and expertise (including quality control) that Supercart is known for;
o With local control of manufacture, Supercart is able to support your brand and tailor our products to meet your requirements;
o Deal in local currency, with Supercart’s pricing not influenced by fluctuations in overseas exchange rates such as USD, EUR or CNY.
· Visually appealing with a contemporary design as well as endless branding capabilities, Supercart trolleys offer the following advantages:
o Allows retailers the ability to match their trolley fleet to their own corporate colours;
o The contemporary design and aesthetics of the hybrid trolleys ensure that they keep pace with modern designs and standards;
o Their sleek design certainly makes a statement about a retailer’s store and sets it apart from the competition;
o Retailers can clearly display their logo (through brand colouring and in-mould labelling of their brand onto the handles, wheels and basket sides), enhancing brand recognition and establishes awareness;
o It reduces trolley theft and projects a strong corporate store identity;
o Utilising the best masterbatch for UV stability and colour fastness, colours are UV stable and guaranteed to last in excess of five years, providing longevity of the trolley fleet and reduced trolley turn-over;
o An array of colours are available, with prominent branding capabilities not possible with trolleys that are constructed from steel.
· Hybrid trolleys are up to 30% lighter, offering the following benefits:
o They are quieter, easier to manoeuvre, steer and control;
o Less taxing to the body, with reduced injury to shoppers as well as trolley collecting staff;
o Less damage to store fixtures and vehicles, with a significant reduction in vehicle damage claims;
o Reduced mechanical loading and wearing of the wheels, extending the life of the wheels by as much as 2 to 3 years. With wheels being one of the highest maintenance costs associated with a shopping trolley, significant cost savings could be made using hybrid trolleys.
· Durable wheels. Supercart products are fitted with Supercart’s superior 125 mm sealed precision ball bearing wheels, with the following features and benefits:
o Sealed precision ball bearing;
o Maintenance free;
o Single insert moulded ball bearing;
o Sturdy thread guards mount into the bearing, deflecting dirt;
o Thread guards will not wear out easily;
o Silent and smooth operation;
o Ease of assembly;
o Rated at 80 kg load capacity per wheel – backed by rigorous outsourced testing in a quality controlled laboratory; and
o Lower roll resistance.
· Confidence in the Supercart brand, with the over 30 years in “pushing” the boundaries of trolley design. Supercart started back in 1986 when a five-wheeled trolley was imported from Canada to South Africa. Since then the wheels have turned, with Supercart now manufacturing its own trolleys in South Africa, Australia and exporting them to India, Malaysia and around the world.
· They are people friendly, with the child seat on the Mid-Size hybrid being warmer and offering more comfort for toddlers than metal trolleys.
· Stronger and safer, with the following advantages:
o Supercart hybrid trolleys have been extensively tested and comply with Australian and European standards.
o The plastic frame and side panels are much more resilient to collisions and damage than the steel trolleys which have more rigid steel frames.
o Plastic does not rust and is also very malleable, reducing the risk of rusty, sharp edges commonly found with damaged steel trolleys.
· Clean and green. Supercart hybrid trolleys offer the following environmental benefits:
o Plastic components can be easily replaced, cleaned and are recyclable, making hybrid trolleys environmentally friendly.
o No weld repair, weld touch up and re-painting is required on the plastic components of the hybrid trolleys, saving the environment from the negative effects associated with these activities (emissions, chemicals, waste).
o Metal shopping trolleys require a greater amount of energy (almost 30% more) over their defined life cycle when compared with plastic shopping trolleys.
o Energy consumption during manufacturing and repair/overhaul activities is approximately double for metal trolleys compared to those made from plastic.
o Metal trolleys have a higher Global Warming Potential (GWP) than those manufactured from plastic (by as much as 40%). The largest contributor to GWP for metal trolleys comes from the cleaning, repair and manufacturing operations, while the largest contributor for trolleys made from plastic was mainly associated with just the cleaning process.
o Emissions associated with Photochemical Ozone Creation Potential (POCP) are dominated in both steel and plastic due to the impacts of manufacturing, repair/refurbishment and cleaning. Plastic trolleys benefit significantly from its recycle strategy at end-of-life, where most (if not all) trolleys are collected and disassembled, with the various plastic components sorted, reground and reincorporated into finished products, thus off-setting POCP emissions that would have occurred during pre-chain manufacturing activities. Plastic trolleys have around a 25% lower emission rate of components which contribute to POCP.
o Water emissions of phosphates and trace metal emissions Cr, Ni and Zn from the metal manufacturing processes (initial production / replacement parts) are significantly lower (as much as 50%) in the case of plastic trolleys, compared to the corresponding metal trolleys.
o Hybrid trolleys have a lower life cycle toxicity potential score in comparison to those trolleys made from steel.
The key factors influencing the overall reduction in the environmental impacts associated with Supercart’s hybrid trolleys is due to their longer durability, lower manufacturing impacts and reduced maintenance/repair requirements.
Supercart’s innovativeness in making shopping trolleys more durable, easier and less expensive to maintain, and overall more enjoyable for consumers to use, benefitting not only store owners but the environment and the end consumer alike.
Supercart - Supermove
