Missouri retailers and grocers are facing a new challenge after President Trump halted penny production in June.
Dan Shaul, President of the Missouri Grocers Association told Missourinet that experts thought the penny wouldn’t be missed until the second quarter of 2026.
“They missed it by a couple of quarters because there is now a shortage of pennies, and we’ve been working with the Bankers Association trying to figure out how we can alleviate the problem,” said Shaul. “There’s estimated over a billion dollars worth of pennies out there, but most of us have them sitting in a bucket somewhere in the house. Then they’re not in circulation. So, there is a problem.”
Dan Shaul, Missouri Grocers Association (courtesy MGA)
Shaul said grocers and retailers are feeling the impact now.
“Pennies right now in certain parts of the state, certainly parts of the country, the banks can’t supply any pennies,” said Shaul. “So, there’s a lot of questions that, you know, certainly would like a penny for your thoughts on this one.”
Shaul told Missourinet that you might make a friend at your local grocery store if you cashed in your pennies.”
“I’d suggest you don’t bring them in a 50-gallon drum and just dump them there and try to pay for your groceries,’ said Shaul. “The funny thing is, the federal government made a decision on one penny to do away with it that they put more time and thought into spending trillions and trillions of dollars instead of let’s figure out the penny first. That’s just me. That’s just a lowly grocer out here that’s trying to make change.”
Shaul said retailers and grocers are now looking at the Department of Revenue for guidance, but they still need pennies to keep business running smoothly.
He also noted that there’s movement in Washington with the proposed Common Cents Act, which—if passed—would give retailers the legal guidance they need to navigate the penny shortage.
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