Official Policy

Dollar General’s official policy states that if an item scans for a penny, it should be sold to the customer. However, staff are supposed to pull these items from the floor immediately after.

If it rings up $0.01:

  • The cashier should sell it to you.
  • They may check if there are more on the shelf to pull them.
  • The one you have in hand is yours to buy.

Important Etiquette

  • Don’t ask employees about penny items. If you ask, they have to go pull them off the shelf.
  • Don’t argue at checkout. If they refuse to sell it, just say “Okay, no worries” and leave. It’s not worth the fight.
  • Don’t call corporate. Complaints about penny items cause stricter policies that hurt everyone.
  • Don’t make a mess. Keep the store clean and organized.

SOP Reference

This is a reference image regarding the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for penny items. You can save this to your phone.

DG Penny SOP