Asda has banned shoppers from using “granny trolleys” at its Leyton store in East London as it tries to reduce shoplifting.

The trolleys, commonly used by older shoppers, now need to be left at by the entrance of the store after the supermarket realised that thieves were using them to conceal stolen items, The Telegraph reported.

The Leyton store had witnessed customers using the trolleys to hide products, and then using the self-service checkouts to only scan some of their items.

Since the ban was brought in a month ago, shoppers have been forced to leave their trolleys next to the security desk on the way into the store with numbered labels placed on top, before collecting them as they exit.

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The supermarket’s individual shops are free to decide their own security measures, with an Asda spokesman confirming the rule was not being implemented throughout the rest of it store estate.

An Asda spokesman said: “Our top priority is to keep our customers and colleagues safe which is why our stores will implement policies that seek to deter shoplifting including the use of external trolleys.

“We regret that this customer had a negative experience on this occasion, but we hope that our customers understand the need to keep our stores safe for everyone.”

The move comes as shoplifting hit a historic high of almost 1,200 offences a day. Incidents registered last year by the police year reached 430,104, a rise of 37% from 2022 and the highest number since records began 20 years ago, according to data from the Office for National Statistics.

Last week, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has pledged he will crackdown on shoplifting and retail violence against them if elected into power.