Lucy Greatbatch had popped into a Lidl store in Leek, Staffordshire, on October 21 with her 10-month-old baby George Greatbatch to do their weekly shop.
While picking up her groceries, the mum-of-one sat her tot in the baby seat at the front of a Lidl shopping trolley.
But as she began to load the shopping bags into her car after paying, she claims the trolley ‘rolled’ off the kerb and toppled over – causing George to hit his head on the pavement.
Photos show the tot with an ‘egg’ on his head the width of a golf ball and purple bruises on the backs of his legs where the cart’s bars trapped him.
Before unloading the family’s groceries, the farm worker says she made sure to park the trolley on a flat surface.
But after reaching to put the second shopping bag in the boot, the 28-year-old claims the trolley’s weight shifted causing it to fall off the kerb as it had no brakes.
While George is recovering well from his injuries, Lucy is now speaking out to warn other parents about her baby’s ‘freak accident’ and urges them to check trolleys for brakes when in supermarkets.
Lidl said they were sorry to hear about the incident and pointed out that they have trolleys fitted with straps for infants.
Lucy, from Wetley Rocks in Staffordshire, said: “I flew in for a few bits and some fruit as we fly through these.
“I was parked in one of the parent-child bays and I reversed into it. [While unloading the shopping], I put him [George] on a flat piece.
“I took one bag of shopping out and put it in the car. I then turned round to grab the next bag of shopping and thought nothing of it.
“I just heard this bang. He had rolled off and dropped down the kerb in the trolley.
“The trolley had tipped on his side and he was still in it. He fell on his side and hit his head and was screaming.
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“I think it was more of a shock than anything and thankfully he had a hat on his head, which softened the blow.
“I presume it was because I shifted the weight out of the trolley. The kerb that I put the trolley on looked flat.
“George was screaming because I think he was frightened and he’d hurt himself.
“I stayed composed until a lady came over to ask if he was okay and then I bawled my eyes out. It was the first time he had had a fall.
“He had a bump on his head. It was a little egg on the right side above his head. He then has some bruises on the back of his legs from the impact of the bars on the trolley [that fell on him].
“The egg on his head was the width of a golf ball. It wasn’t sticking out a lot but you could see it.
“He had a nap in the car and he was back to his usual self and I just kept an eye on him for the rest of the day.”
Lidl: “We were very sorry to hear of this customer’s experience”
Following the incident, Lucy says she filed a complaint to Lidl via their online form and claims they told her their trolleys meet safety standards.
Lucy said: “This is something we do day in and day out. I’d say to parents you need to double check where you put your trolley.
“They are all new trolleys and don’t have brakes on them. I would now definitely look for one with a brake on.”
A Lidl spokesperson said: “Customer safety is of the utmost importance to us, and we were very sorry to hear of this customer’s experience.
“All our store trolleys go through rigorous checks to ensure they meet necessary safety requirements, and we have several different trolley options available for customers at our Leek store, including trolleys with straps for infants.”
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