Kroger Wants Customers to Pay with Exact Change

If you still keep a cup full of loose change in your car, now’s your time to shine. Kroger just announced it’s asking customers to pay with exact change at checkout.

Why Is Kroger Asking Customers to Pay with Exact Change?

The answer is quite simple. The U.S. Treasury has stopped producing pennies. This is all part of their move to phase out pennies in the near future, which is something you're going to see more and more from other companies.

For now, Kroger says it’s still accepting pennies, but the supply is getting tight. According to Up North Live and people on social media, signs have been spotted in stores asking customers to round up or provide the exact amount when paying with cash. Some folks online are claiming Kroger isn’t accepting pennies at all, but that’s not true. Not yet, anyway.

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If you remember, during the pandemic, we dealt with a coin shortage, so this might feel like déjà vu.

Honestly, it makes sense when you realize it actually costs more to make a penny than it’s worth. The U.S. Mint spent about four cents per penny last year, losing over $85 million in the process. So yeah, it’s kind of hard to blame them for finally pulling the plug.

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I’m totally on board with this. I usually just toss my pennies anyway. They’re dirty and gross, they pile up fast, and honestly, they’re pretty much useless sitting in a jar.