ShopRite’s New ‘No Penny Rule’ Has NJ Shoppers Asking What Is Going On

You hand over your change as you always do; the cashier counts it out, or it is dispensed at self-checkout. Then, you hear the words or read a notification that stops you in your tracks. They are not taking pennies. Not joking. Stores across Jersey have started rounding totals up or down, and people are definitely talking about it.

Get our free mobile app

The whole thing feels a little surreal because pennies are such a regular part of life. They live in every car cup holder, every junk drawer, every random pocket. But now you go grocery shopping, and suddenly, they are treated like rare collectibles. Nobody asked for this twist, and shoppers are trying to figure out how this became a thing.

Why Are Stores Suddenly Ignoring Pennies?

It used to cost four cents to make a penny. Seems a little backwards, no? I say 'used' because the U.S. Mint is no longer producing pennies. This has caused a minor "penny shortage."

This policy of not accepting pennies has quietly popped up at retailers. Instead of dealing with pennies, the register total is rounded to the nearest five cents. Sometimes it works out in your favor, and sometimes it does not, which is what has people raising eyebrows. When prices everywhere feel like they are climbing higher month after month, the last thing anyone wants is one more way to pay a little extra.

READ MORE: Major NJ Grocery Store Announces Closure

Shoppers online have shared mixed reactions. Some say it helps speed up the line, which might be true, as counting change is slow, and no one enjoys waiting behind the person digging for loose coins. Others feel like rounding is just another tiny way costs creep up, even if it is only a couple of cents at a time. And you know how we are. We keep receipts. We notice things.

Could This Become A Statewide Trend?

The big question is whether this is a one-off thing or the start of something bigger. Many stores in other states have tested similar policies, mostly during coin shortages, but pennies never fully disappeared. In New Jersey, this feels more like a store decision than a statewide shift, but that does not mean shoppers are not curious about what comes next. If one big chain does it, could others follow? Countries like Canada and Australia have already completely phased pennies out.

READ MORE: These Are The Most Popular Grocery Stores in NJ

For now, it looks like ShopRite stores are moving ahead with the rounding approach and hoping customers get used to it. Credit, debit, gift card, EBT, and exact change payments will not be affected by this change.