Woolworths is warning customers against attempting a trolley hack involving using a key when you don’t have a gold coin went viral on TikTok.
The video started circulating on the platform as a”life hack” that told viewers to insert a key into coin-operated trolleys when they don’t have coins on hand.
Quickly labelled as “brilliant” and a “clever solution” to a familiar problem, but Woolworths has said it could cause serious problems.
“While trolley locks are not commonly used in Woolworths stores, we strongly encourage customers to only use coins in the trolley lock mechanism,” a spokesperson told news.com.au.
“There have been previous instances where customers’ goods or keys have become stuck in the lock, and they may also damage the lock.”
The Ballarat man who made the video found the advice was well received, with the video watched more than 25,000 times.
“Insert your key, pull it out, pull your key out, and you have a trolley,” he said in the video.
While some appreciated the tip, one commenter said they had tried it recently and it didn’t work.
Others were confused as to why the Woolies trolleys were coin-operated, as most Australian supermarkets provide them free of charge.
But, differing local government by-laws mean that some stores have trolley locks.
The exception to this is Aldi, with trolleys needing a gold coin to use across the country as a way of keeping prices down on their products.
Last year, the same key trick shared by an Aldi shopper prompted the German retailer to issue a warning.
A spokesperson said in June, “We recommend that our shoppers continue using gold coins or an Aldi trolley token to unlock their trolleys. Other objects may become stuck or damaged.”
This article originally appeared on Over60.