Gatekeeper Systems Inc. emerged as a pioneer in the mid-1990s with the introduction of a Trolley Retention Program (TRP), designed to significantly reduce the misappropriation and abandonment of shopping trolleys globally. This innovation has led to a marked reduction in both the carbon footprint and cost risks associated with trolley losses for retailers.
The TRP is a simple yet highly effective tool for retailers, utilizing either large external induction loops or, more recently, solar-powered RF transmitters. These systems lock the trolley’s wheels if it’s pushed beyond the designated store boundaries, preventing losses and eliminating the need for costly retrievals, write-offs, or, in some cases, fines from local councils for abandoned trolleys.
As a result, retailers have been able to reduce the number of trolleys they need to purchase, optimizing their fleet to suit actual demand rather than constantly replenishing lost units. Additionally, the carbon footprint of stores has decreased, as they no longer need to dispatch vehicles to retrieve trolleys from surrounding areas—vehicles that contribute to pollution. Damaged and abandoned trolleys, often requiring write-offs or expensive repairs, are no longer a recurring issue.
The impact of purchasing fewer trolleys is significant, especially given recent increases in raw material and shipping costs, largely due to manufacturing being centred in the Asia-Pacific region. These costs have been passed on to retailers, making ongoing trolley losses even more expensive.
Every year, tens of thousands of trolleys end up abandoned in neighbourhoods, creating substantial costs for retailers, not just in terms of replacement but also for retrieval and repair. In many cases, local authorities have started imposing heavy fines on retailers as a deterrent, often causing friction between businesses and councils.
Gatekeeper’s TRP combats this by preventing trolleys from being left in public spaces like streets, rivers, and parks, which harm the environment, damage wildlife, and degrade the local landscape. The solution also protects retailers from brand-damaging environmental issues and the financial strain of dealing with abandoned trolleys.
Without the TRP, retailers face escalating and uncontrollable financial risks.
For nearly 20 years, Gatekeeper Systems has been serving retailers across Australia and New Zealand, with over 500 TRPs currently in use across grocery and general merchandise sectors. Their SmartWheel™ technology, used in the TRP, also powers the Purchek™ Push Out Theft Prevention solution, allowing retailers to streamline their operations by using one system to manage both theft prevention and trolley retention.
Gatekeeper’s TRP offers an inclusive, sustainable solution that locks trolley wheels when they are taken beyond the store’s boundaries, without profiling potential thieves. This leads to increased operational efficiency, lower environmental impact, and improved relationships between retailers, local authorities, and communities.
In 2023, Gatekeeper Systems was awarded the EcoVadis Sustainability Silver Rating, recognizing its commitment to sustainability both in its product offerings and operational practices.