Shoppers at branches of B&M have revealed that they keep getting electric shocks from their trolleys as they walk up and down the aisles. And the little static charges have been driving customers crazy, as well as onto social media to vent their frustrations.
One woman even took to Facebook to admit she no longer allows her children to sit inside the trolley as they make their way around the store because they keep getting zapped. Another claimed she'll only use hand baskets because she hates the sensation that much.
A regular visitor to the B&M at Newport's Maes Glas retail park said he's forever being caught out by it and has since told his partner that he'd rather wait for her in the car than go inside. "It just gets on my nerves," he said.
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"You're walking along minding your own business when suddenly you reach over to put something in the trolley and 'Zzzzzt' - you get this sharp little buzzing feeling in your finger tips when you touch the metal part of the cart. Sometimes, if you've managed to generate enough of a charge, it's even accompanied by a sudden snapping noise.
"It can really wake you up when you're doing a morning shop. It gets a little bit tiresome after the fifth or sixth time in the space of half an hour though." And it's not just in south Wales that it's been happening.
According to The Mirror shoppers as far away as Sheffield are said to be experiencing the same thing. Carol Alisson, 62, reportedly claimed to have noticed the static electricity at her local B&M store.
"It’s not a pleasant shopping experience," she said. Another added "This happens to me every time.
"I was in my nearby branch yesterday and it was happening all round the store." Not normally anything to worry about, static electric shocks happen when somebody touches a conductive material such as metal or another person.
This spate of incidents are said to be caused by a combination of the type of flooring in stores and the rubber wheels on the trolleys. These wheels can act as insulators, gradually building up an electrostatic charge as the trolley is pushed around. That static is held in the metal body of the cart until it touches something else that's grounded - namely the person pushing it, who then gets a jolt.
The same can happen if you shuffle along some surfaces wearing rubber soled shoes. B&M has been contacted for comment.
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