Not sure exactly when they changed but I noticed new plastic trolleys in Dickson today. I have my doubts that entirely replacing a fleet of salvageable metal trolleys with plastic ones (even if recycled plastics) is actually "pushing for a greener future".
Heres the marketing info from the company that makes them which while biased seems to make sense.
Now take that with a grain of salt of course but based on my experience it all sounds plausable. TLDR For anyone who doesnt want to read it
They break less. Wheels last longer. Repairs are easier. They dont rust. Less desireable to steal.
How do they go when I surf one down main road though?
Now that seems like an idea for a youtube video.
Comparing metal and plastic shopping carts for a variety of Jackass-esque misuse cases.