Basket case: Countdown Lynfield has had 175 shopping baskets stolen since drive to ditch single-use plastic bags

Countdown says people are better at remembering to bring their own bags. Photo / File

Since the move away from having plastic bags in their stores, some Countdown supermarkets have had the odd shopping basket go walkabout.

For the most part, Countdown says Kiwis remember to bring their own shopping bags and use them to carry their groceries.

However, one customer found out the hard way yesterday afternoon that some people clearly haven't got used to bringing their own bags.

When the customer walked into Countdown Lynfield in Auckland he could not find any of their distinctive green shopping baskets.

A staff member told him 175 baskets had been stolen.

Countdown would not comment on how many had been taken from the store because the organisation did not hand out "commercial information".

Reusable shopping bags sold at Countdown stores. Photo / File

However, a spokesperson said it was not unusual for baskets to go missing "from time to time" and said the Lynfield store was expecting new baskets in the coming days.

"Kiwis are adjusting really well to the change and are predominantly bringing their own bags," the spokesperson said.

"Some stores have had a few issues with baskets going missing but on the whole we've seen that settle down as customers get into the habit of remembering their bags.

"We would, of course, encourage customers not to take baskets home - we have a range of reusable bag options in store."

A Herald employee experienced a similar issue with missing shopping baskets after visiting Fresh Choice in Glen Eden.

Initially, the store allowed customers to take groceries out to their car in store baskets after they were caught short without their own bags.

However, after a bunch of their shopping baskets started to disappear they banned people from taking them out of the store and into the carpark altogether.