Why are Tesco unlocking their trolleys?

From Tuesday, shoppers at Tesco will be able to get a free trolly at Tesco rather than put in a token or a pound coin.

Tesco are unlocking their trolleys. Picture; getty

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Trolleys at Tesco’s biggest supermarkets will be left unlocked following the introduction of the new £1 coin on Tuesday.

New £1 coin: Everything you need to know

The trolleys will be unlocked on a temporary basis as the company adopts to the new coin in circulation.

While the move is a temporary one, many shoppers will not be affected with only 200 of Tesco’s 3,500 UK stores needing a coin or keyring token to use them.

Other supermarkets such as Asda, Morrisons and Sainsbury’s have all said that their trolleys would accept the new £1 coin the day it was introduced.

Tesco said in a statement: “We’re replacing the locks on our trolleys to accept old and new pound coins as well as existing trolley tokens.”

The firm also said there would be “colleagues on hand to attend trolleys in our stores, so our customers aren’t affected by the changes”

The new £1 coin comes in to circulation on Tuesday March 28.