Legal Question in Consumer Law in Massachusetts

I collected money for a local animal shelter, and it was all coins, almost $50 worth. I rolled the coins, and then went to Stop & Shop to buy pet food for the animal shelter. The cashier refused to accept the rolled coins. The manager sent me to the service desk, where I had to write my name & phone number on the rolls.

She then proceeded to tell me that I had to use the coinstar machine if I ever came back. But the coinstar takes 10%, which would have been $4 taken from the donations, which is equal to one 3.5 pound of cat food.

Coins are legal tender, can Stop & Shop really refuse payment of coins?

Does Stop & Shop get a percentage of the coinstar fees? If so, is that fair?

Are there enough people out there who have had to pay the coinstar fee to have a class action suit? Or am I overreacting?


Asked on 8/13/09, 10:04 am

1 Answer from Attorneys
Warren Wood Law Offices of Warren Wood

I do not believe merchants in general can refuse rolled coins in commercial transactions. Additional identification information may be reasonably requested to reduce fraud. I do not know how the split of revenue is shared between Coinstar and Stop & Shop. You might research this on line and by direct inquiry.

If you believe that there are enough members of this user group who feel as you do (use your blog), I would entertain the possibility of a class action. Good luck!

Read more
Answered on 8/18/09, 11:38 am


Related Questions & Answers

More Consumer Law questions and answers in Massachusetts