With the U.S. Treasury minting its final penny last year, Door and Kewaunee County businesses are adjusting to cash transactions without the familiar copper coin, while state agencies offer guidance to protect consumers.

Some businesses are already rounding transactions to the nearest five cents, but methods vary. The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) and the Wisconsin Department of Revenue (DOR) recommend rounding down when possible to avoid negatively affecting customers. Cash rounding applies only when exact change cannot be provided, and notices of rounding policies should be clearly posted.

At The Country Cupboard in Algoma, the practice hasn’t caused much concern. “We still give change. If they have pennies, we’ll take ’em; if we have pennies, we’ll give ’em,” said the store’s staff. “I think we’d be rounding up, but as a small business, we’ll keep a roll on hand."

"It’s a little blown out of proportion, and I don’t think it’s anything to lose sleep over.  We’ll just have to deal with it. If pennies run out eventually, we’ll just have a little bucket, you know, ‘take a penny, give a penny’ sort of thing." She added.

DOR notes cash rounding does not affect sales tax collection or remittance. State guidance and resources for cash rounding and sales tax are available on DATCP and DOR websites.