Shopping habits are changing, there is no doubt about that. We've reported on Tesco shoppers asking checkout operators to stop when they get to £40, seen the rise of budget supermarkets, and copy-cat manufacturing which creates 'dupes' of a range of high end products from themed cakes to designer scents. But it was one Aldi shoppers trolley swap that took us by surprise.
A woman who regularly shops at Aldi says that by changing the type of trolley she uses has 'transformed' the way she shops. Amber-Louise Large, is a reporter at Nottinghamshire Live 's sister publication MyLondon.
Amber-Louise says the swap has "changed my life for the better", adding "I' will never go back"". The reporter, who doesn't drive and so has to rely on carrying her purchases home, has been missing out on the discounts that buying in larger quantities can create. Now, she is sharing her tip and urging others to follow suit.
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Declaring that she has opted for a 'granny trolley', which she has named 'Tammy', Amber shares her story.
When I went to university I asked my parents to buy me a ‘granny trolley’ to help me with my food shopping. They laughed, not taking me seriously, because such trolleys are usually associated with women of a certain age (hence the 'granny' part) and reminded me of my declaration that I was going to be edgy at uni - a vibe that didn't quite work with a 'granny trolley' in tow.
But by my final year of studies everyone including myself had long realised edgy didn't quite work for me anyway. So when I moved into my university house with the closest shop a 20 minute uphill walk away I thought again about getting a granny trolley to do my food shop. I informed my friends of my plan. They reacted as you'd expect, taking the mick out of me mercilessly, and ultimately I ended up deciding I didn't need to spend the money anyway as I'd made it that far without one.
I've never had a car and so have always walked with my shopping. In the past, that meant I minimised what I bought. Still, often I would overestimate how much I could take and end up having to stop every few metres to give my arms a rest as passers-by looked on in pity. So, sure, I'd made it that far - but at what cost?
I moved out of university and to London, still walking to the shops and never being able to do a big shop on my own. Then one day I saw a trolley in TK Maxx for £15. She was beautiful. Covered in Daisies and sensibly foldable. I called her Tammy the trolley and - despite my boyfriend's protests - brought her home to my flat. She has since sat proudly in the hallway, defiant of my flat mate's smirks and boyfriend's eye rolls, and today she made her debut.
A few people did look at me as I rolled into Aldi with Tammy in tow but I can only assume it was out of jealousy. Immediately I went to the big bottles of drink - milk, juice, wine - and grabbed more than I would normally be able to carry in order to test out Tammy's strength. Next, I went for the jars and tins. Normally so pesky, adding more bulk and weight than you realise, but today (with Tammy's help) no problem at all.
I continued to wander the aisles smugly, grabbing a book here, a heart-shaped cheese there (isn't Aldi wonderful? ) not once worrying about whether I could carry it. Tammy wheeled along easily and gracefully. I passed another lady (yes, a number of years older than myself) also using a trolley and nodded at her. We understood one another. And we knew everyone else in the store carrying their shopping was a fool.
Eventually I paid for my shopping and left Aldi. The walk home was going to be Tammy's biggest test - and she passed with flying colours. I didn't have to stop once and I hardly even noticed I had a load of shopping with me as I walked back to my flat.
How had I spent all these years carrying my shopping, struggling to lift bottles and tins, when I could have been using a granny trolley all this time?
Honestly, Tammy the granny trolley has changed my life for the better and I will never go shopping without her again. When I got back, I could only marvel at how much I'd been able to get home with her help. I guess Tammy is a bit like a suitcase with wheels, except I couldn't use one of those to do my shopping - could I?!
