The U.S. is short on change and associations representing retailers and grocers are urging federal authorities to take action to address the problem.

Banks across the nation are running out of all types of coins and the Federal Reserve has been forced to ration its supply of coins, NPR reported. The shortage is the result of unused coins piling up in homes because places where people would go to cash-in spare change, like retail kiosks, have been closed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a letter to the Treasury Department and Federal Reserves, seven associations urge both agencies to alleviate the shortage by releasing more coins from federal inventory or increasing coin production.

"These industries need to efficiently process large volumes of consumer transactions every day and many of those transactions are paid in cash," the groups said. "A critical, but largely unseen, part of these businesses' operations, then, is obtaining sufficient amounts of coins to be able to handle cash transactions and provide customers with change."

The groups also requested guidance from the Federal Reserve on potential merchant operational responses as companies find themselves having to make quick decisions about customer engagement during the shortage.

The National Grocers Association, FMI—The Food Industry Association, International Franchise Association, National Association of Convenience Stores, National Automatic Merchandising Association, Retail Industry Leaders Association and Society of Independent Gasoline Marketers of America signed the letter.

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