How to choose a shopping basket
The 18 factors to consider when choosing a shopping basket or trolley, grouped into five areas: customer experience, safety, durability, space and operational cost
Quick answer
Choosing the right shopping basket or trolley depends on five main factors: customer experience, safety, durability, available space and total operating cost. The right option should match your store format, typical purchase volume and customer journey rather than simply offering the largest possible capacity.
There is no single best shopping basket for every store. The right choice depends on store format, typical purchase volume, available space, customer behaviour and operating cost. This guide explains the 18 factors to assess before choosing a shopping basket or trolley.
01Customer Experience When Choosing a Shopping Basket
The customer's shopping experience depends directly on the equipment they use. An uncomfortable, noisy, or hard-to-manoeuvre basket reduces the time the customer spends in store and, with it, the average ticket size.
Quiet Wheels for a Better Shopping Experience
Polyurethane wheels with ball bearings reduce noise in store, especially relevant during peak hours and in urban formats with hard floors.
Double Handles and Easy Basket Stacking
Baskets with two handles can be carried with wheels or by hand, and make stacking at the entrance effortless for store staff.
High-Quality Wheels for Intensive Retail Use
Ball-bearing wheels let the basket glide effortlessly even when fully loaded, so the customer never has to force the movement.
Ergonomic Shopping Basket Design
The curves in the basket's body distribute weight between the arm and the torso, reducing perceived effort while shopping.
Recycled Shopping Basket Options
For stores with ESG commitments, we offer baskets made from post-consumer and industrial recycled material, without losing durability compared to the standard version.
Hybrid Hand and Wheeled Baskets
Models like RB32 work as a hand basket or a rolling basket depending on the moment, with no need to switch equipment.
Push or Pull Wheeled Shopping Baskets
Vertical wheeled baskets like Bond and Superbond can be pushed or pulled, adapting to the customer's natural movement at every stage of their route.
Anti-Tip Design for Wheeled Shopping Baskets
The base and centre of gravity of our vertical baskets are calculated to prevent tipping, even at maximum load while in motion.
02 Shopping Basket Safety
Safety affects both the customer and the business: baskets that slide on ramps or get lost to theft generate avoidable cost and incidents.
Brake for ramps and escalators
Our patented brake system prevents the basket from sliding on ramps or escalators with up to a 20% incline. Available for Bond and Superbond.
Integrated anti-theft system
As an optional accessory, an anti-theft system can be integrated, hidden within the basket's body, reducing equipment loss in store.
03 Shopping Basket Durability and Service Life
Durability determines the product's real lifespan and, with it, the replacement cost over the years.
Monobloc construction
Manufacturing the basket as a single piece eliminates joints where dirt could build up or breakage could occur, while also giving a more resistant, longer-lasting finish.
High-resistance handles
Handles are the component most likely to fail under intensive use. Our models are designed to withstand thousands of uses without deforming or breaking.
04 Space, Storage and Store Layout
The space available in store determines which format can be used without hindering customer flow or the storage of empty baskets.
More interior space
Models with straight walls and a wide base, like Match, make the most of interior volume without increasing the basket's outer dimensions.
Maximum capacity, minimum space
The vertical design of Bond and Superbond offers up to 91 litres while taking up the same aisle width as a standard basket, ideal for stores with narrow aisles.
Same capacity, more savings
Comparing litres per euro invested helps identify the model that offers the most usable capacity without having to move up to a larger-investment trolley.
Compact formats
For convenience stores, pharmacies, or perfumeries, our compact models from 10 to 28 litres minimise storage space at the entrance.
05 Operating Cost and Total Cost of Ownership
Real savings aren't measured by the purchase price, but by the total cost over the product's lifespan: replacements, incidents, and management time.
Higher capacity, higher average ticket
A basket with enough capacity for the customer's typical purchase volume prevents them from limiting their purchase due to lack of space in the basket.
Two products in one
The Snupy trolley combines two removable Great baskets and the frame that holds them, covering both small and large purchases with a single investment.
Which Shopping Basket or Trolley Is Right for Your Store?
Use this decision matrix to compare store conditions, operational priorities and the most suitable shopping basket or trolley format.
| If your store has... | Prioritise... | Recommended solution |
|---|---|---|
| Quick purchases and low ticket size | Lightness and ease of use | Hand basket 10-30L (Sweet, FIT, Great) |
| Narrow aisles or limited space | Manoeuvrability and compact stacking | Bond 70L or compact UP80 trolley |
| High traffic and daily intensive use | Durability and resistant wheels | See high-traffic guide |
| Average purchase in supermarket | Capacity and customer familiarity | Barcelona 54L, the best-seller of the range |
| Large purchase: DIY, toys, home | Maximum capacity and stability | XXL 80L, Match 86L |
| Ramps, escalators, or uneven floors | Brake and safety while moving | Bond or Superbond with optional brake |
| Online picking or Click & Collect | Reusability, organisation, and cost per order | ReBasket 18L |
| Multi-store network or several countries | Stable supply and standardisation | European manufacturer with planned production capacity |
| Small and large purchases combined | Versatility and two formats in one | Snupy 60L |
| High-end pharmacy or perfumery | Design and customisation | Delux 12L |
Shopping Basket Capacity Guide by Litres
The right shopping basket capacity depends on the typical purchase volume, store format and customer journey. A basket should provide enough space without becoming unnecessarily large or difficult to handle.
| Capacity | Purchase profile | Type of establishment | SB products |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 to 28 L | Quick purchase, few items | Pharmacy, perfumery, convenience store, kiosk | Hand baskets |
| 26 to 32 L | Average purchase, frequent restocking | Urban supermarket, pharmacy | RB32 32L |
| 32 to 54 L | Medium-large purchase, varied products | Supermarket, homeware, textiles, sports | Barcelona 54L |
| 60 to 91 L | Large purchase, bulky products | Hypermarket, DIY, toy shops, fashion | Bond, XXL, Match, Superbond |
| ReBasket 18 L | Picking and Click & Collect | Dark store, collection point | ReBasket |
The right basket isn't the biggest or the cheapest. It's the one that matches the customer's typical purchase volume for that specific store format, and that reduces incidents and replacement over its lifespan.
Download the full infographic
If you want all 18 key factors organised in a single document, download the infographic covering the 5 areas, the factors within each one, and practical advice from our team of experts.
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Frequently asked questions
How many litres do I need for an urban supermarket?
For an urban supermarket with purchases covering 2 to 4 days, the recommended capacity is between 32 and 54 litres. The Barcelona 54L model is the most widely used in this format because it balances capacity and manoeuvrability without needing a full trolley.
What's the difference between a vertical and a horizontal basket?
The vertical basket takes up the same aisle width as a standard horizontal basket but offers more capacity thanks to its height, ideal for narrow aisles. The horizontal basket has a wider base, making it easier to carry bulky or irregularly shaped products.
Can rolling baskets be used on ramps or escalators?
Yes, with the optional brake system available for the Bond and Superbond models. The brake stops the basket from sliding because the wheels no longer touch the ground, allowing safe use on ramps with up to 20% incline and on escalators.
Do recycled baskets have the same durability as standard ones?
Yes. Baskets made from post-consumer or industrial recycled material maintain the same load capacity and warranty as the virgin-material version, since they're manufactured with the same injection process and quality control.
How do I choose between a hand basket and a shopping trolley?
It depends on the typical average ticket size: if most of your customers buy only a few items, a hand basket is enough. If the average ticket is high or the store format is large (hypermarket, DIY), a trolley or a large-capacity basket like Match or Superbond prevents the customer from limiting their purchase due to lack of space.
Which basket do you recommend for picking and Click & Collect?
ReBasket, a reusable 18-litre basket designed specifically for online order preparation. It replaces disposable packaging, reduces cost per order, and is built for dark stores and collection points with high daily order volume.