Hi,
I think there was a successful prosecution of a supermarket for this offence. I know someone who'd know the details but she's not available today, but if I find out in the next few days I'll let you know.
As for the
Water Voles, if the process of trolley removal is causing problems to them and you've informed the supermarket that the voles are present, this could easily be construed as 'reckless' damage which is now a criminal offence under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended by Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 (CRoW). The process and potential penalties derive from CRoW: Schedule 12(5) which has reduced the legal test applied from ‘intentionally’ damaged by adding ‘or recklessly’ damage. To avoid reckless damage you must take all reasonable measures to avoid the damage.
This means that the supermarket should try and find a method of removing the trolleys without damaging the vole's habitat or prevent the trolleys going in in the first place.
Just for info. I know that when a fisheries survey was done in the lower Lee in London, no fish were found in the open channel but hundreds were found sheltering inside the shopping trolleys because it was the only place to hide. This happens when the banks of the river are hard (concrete, sheet piles, gabions etc) as this prevents vegetation growing at the bottom of the bank. I've seen this happening at a supermarket in Watford too.
Cheers, Chris