Price Chopper collects nearly $200,000 in pennies, gives customers double back. CT stores joined in.

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By Geoff Herbert, syracuse.com

A grocery store chain collected nearly 20 million pennies from customers and gave them twice the money’s value back.

Price Chopper and Market 32 says it collected $197,400 worth of pennies from customers on “ Double Exchange Day ” Sunday, Nov. 16. In exchange, shoppers received double their value, or $394,800, in gift cards for store credit.

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According to WRGB , Price Chopper said the tradeoff will help customers with their holiday budget while also replenishing the supermarket’s supply of 1-cent coins.

Many stores and banks are facing a growing penny shortage after President Donald Trump ordered the U.S. Treasury to stop producing penni