EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. - Supervalu has entered into a new agreement with Coinstar that will allow customers to receive free coins-to-cash conversions when picking the supermarket??s gift card option, Progressive Grocer reports.

Around a thousand stores in the Supervalu family, including Shoppers, Shop n??Save, Shaws/Star Market, Lucky, Jewel-Osco, Horbnbacker??s, Farm Fresh, Albertsons and Acme, will have the no-fee option.

"We are very pleased with the results of the pilot program with Coinstar and look forward to a program expansion starting in June," said Mark Schumacher, who directs financial services for the chain. "This agreement provides our customers the opportunity to receive the full value of their coins with no fees when they choose the gift card option."

The two businesses started the gift card option last January at 78 Albertsons locations in Oregon and Washington. "We??re delighted to be moving forward on this exciting new project with Supervalu and look forward to maximizing the potential increase in both trips and shopping basket size," said Mike Skinner, Coinstar??s president of coin business. "There??s approximately $10 billion in coins across the United States waiting to be converted, and this gives consumers a compelling option for turning those coins into something of great value."

Other gift cards or e-certificates are available at Coinstar coin-counting machines for no fees, too.