5p for thoughts

Malcolm Parkin (Letters, 16 March) is too alarmist in his calculations of the effect of removing the 1p and 2p from circulation. Adjustments aren’t necessary at every step in the supply chain.

Based on my experiences in Canada and New Zealand, all that is necessary is for pricing to remain exactly the same as at present, that is, to any penny value. The total bill for our shop is then merely rounded up or down to the nearest 5p – down if the total ends in 1,2,6 or 7p and up if it’s 3,4,8 or 9. Easy for the retailer and over the piece no-one will end up out of pocket.

5p coins are so small, and buy little on their own, that who knows – maybe those who pop a 1p or 2p coin in the charity tins may prefer to dispose of their 5p coins that way?

SANDY BENZIES

Craigmount Loan, Edinburgh