Tekort aan euromunten wordt nijpend (en)

Can you spare any change please? It seems as if governments will have to start asking their citizens this question, as a shortage of small euro coins is becoming apparent in the 12 countries that share the euro zone.

The problem concerns mainly one, two and five cent coins, reports Belgian daily La Libre Belgique and has two causes.

First, there has been a boom in demand for steel, making it difficult for the makers of coins to keep up with demand themselves.

Second, people are tending to hoard these small, almost valueless coins, either in their pockets or in small plastic boxes in their houses. Therefore, they are not being re-introduced back into circulation, with the result that shops are beginning to run out of change for their customers.

The problem is said to be especially acute in Germany.

The euro is used in 12 EU countries (Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Finland, Spain, Portugal, Germany, France, Austria, Italy, Ireland and Greece).