Aisleway code to keep peace in stores

You've loaded up with Chilean red for the weekend, you're laden down with fruit and veg and now you're pushing your weary way to the check-out. But what's this? The shopper pushing the trolley in front of you is putting out his arm to indicate. Now he's pulling over to let you pass. And was that a cheery smile as you moved ahead? Doesn't he know that this is a supermarket aisle and it's a jungle out here?

You've loaded up with Chilean red for the weekend, you're laden down with fruit and veg and now you're pushing your weary way to the check-out. But what's this? The shopper pushing the trolley in front of you is putting out his arm to indicate. Now he's pulling over to let you pass. And was that a cheery smile as you moved ahead? Doesn't he know that this is a supermarket aisle and it's a jungle out here?

The days of trolley rage may be over for ever. In a move designed to ease tension amid the tinned fruit and create calm near the cafetiere coffee, Britain's biggest supermarket has drawn up a highway - or as it puts it with shameless glee - an "aisleway" code for trolleys.

The six-point plan is being tried next week at Tesco's flagship store in Kensington, west London, with the intention of spreading it to other stores. At the moment, the plan is aimed at Tesco staff who are shopping for online customers, but the company believes everyone could benefit from the guidelines, said Tom Britten, the brand manager of Tesco.com, its home shopping arm.

"This is more than an advisory step, it is aimed at making life easier for everyone at busy times," Mr Britten said. "There is no question of policing the aisles or anything like that but we are making all our pickers aware that good trolley handling is just as important as picking the best produce for those who order online."

The code requests that "pickers" do not move around the store in groups, thereby avoiding congesting the aisles with their big trolleys. It also says that, where possible, staff should steer a course down the middle of the aisles rather than obstruct the shelves and encourages a "no-nudging" philosophy. The code also suggests that simple hand signals could be used to indicate a change of direction.

According to Tesco's own research, the fresh vegetable section, which is situated near the entrance to most stores, presented the greatest difficulty at busy times.