Question 1

Does Publix report on the financial performance of specific products, categories, departments and/or stores?

Accepted Answer

We do not comment on the specific performance of the products that we carry in our stores or specific areas of business nor do we provide comment on the performance of individual stores. Rather, we provide overall quarterly performance and year-end results via press release.

Question 2

What is Publix’s policy on hurricane cakes?

Accepted Answer

We appreciate your reaching out regarding decorated cakes from our bakery departments. Our associates make every effort to support our customers during weather events. Often times, this includes finding ways to delight them with their favorite Publix items as they prepare for uncertainty. For these requests in particular, it is our company policy to not produce bakery cakes that would make light of a natural disaster. We have sent communications to our stores reminding them of our policy. We regret if a store has not followed policy, and we are working to rectify the situation.

Question 3

Hurricane Prep – supply chain

Accepted Answer

Supplies are ordered early so warehouses are well stocked should a storm threaten during hurricane season. In anticipation of a storm, we begin to closely monitor the track and our distribution and retail operations team work vigilantly to ensure the supply chain and manufacturing plants can respond as quickly as possible to serve the needs of our community and customers before and after a storm. Our warehouse/distribution centers' water supply remains at full capacity and stores receive deliveries throughout the day and night. In addition, as we continue to monitor a storm and our customer's needs, we are also ensuring our facilities and stores are staffed with the number of associates necessary to serve our customer during this time.

Question 4

Hurricane/Price Gouging

Accepted Answer

At Publix, we take seriously our commitment to our communities and the ability to serve in a greater capacity in times of emergencies and need. In the communities we serve, it is our responsibility to help prepare prior to and in the aftermath of the storm. We live and work in our communities we serve. We would never knowingly disappoint our customers.

Question 5

Does Publix comment on pending litigation?

Accepted Answer

It would be inappropriate for us to comment on pending litigation.

Question 6

What is Publix's policy on service animals?

Accepted Answer

https://www.publix.com/pages/policies/service-animal-policy

Question 7

Does Publix allow filming inside their stores?

Accepted Answer

Publix does not allow filming or photography inside of our stores or facilities without prior consent from our media relations team. Our media managers will facilitate opportunities for interviews and/or b-roll with our stores and media partners. Please contact a media manager for assistance.

Question 8

Do Publix associates participate in media interviews?

Accepted Answer

Our associates, including management teams, do not participate in media interviews without the consent of our media relations team. As a privately owned company, with more than 255,000 associates, our media managers represent our company with one voice.

Question 9

Do Publix executives participate in media interviews?

Accepted Answer

As a practice, our executives rarely participate in media interviews. For assistance, please contact the director of communications.

Question 10

Does Publix provide surveillance video footage to their media partners?

Accepted Answer

As a practice, we do not share video surveillance footage with third parties aside from our cooperation in investigations with law enforcement.

Question 11

Why has Publix Pharmacy decided to sunset their free prescription program effective June 1, 2022?

Accepted Answer

Publix debuted our free prescription program in 2007, and to date we have dispensed well over 100 million free prescriptions. We consistently evaluate our programs and services to ensure they are meeting the intended purpose and evolve over time. Medications offered through our program are typically covered through insurance plans.

Effective June 1, 2022, we will no longer offer our free prescription program. Maintenance medications, including Metformin, Lisinopril and Amlodipine will be eligible for $7.50 for a 90-day supply and Amoxicillin will be $7.50 for a 14-day supply. Quantity limits still apply.

Question 12

Will Publix be administering the COVID-19 vaccine to children younger than 5 years of age?

Accepted Answer

We are proud of the role we’ve played in vaccinating those in our service area for COVID-19, having administered more than 8.8 million COVID-19 vaccine doses to date, including almost 140,000 doses for children ages 5 to 11.
Publix pharmacies have not traditionally been a destination for pediatric vaccines. In fact, of the more than 1 million flu vaccine doses we administered in 2021, a total of only 26 were administered to children ages 4 and under. 
Additionally, because of space and capacity constraints in our pharmacies, we do not have privacy rooms equipped to accommodate families with younger children. For these reasons, we made the decision not to offer COVID-19 vaccinations for children ages 3 and 4.

Question 13

Can Publix comment on the political contributions of family members?

Accepted Answer

Political contributions that are made by individuals, including family and/or board members, are their personal contributions and not reflective of the company's position, endorsement or support of a candidate. These are personal decisions and we will not speak on behalf of the family or board members.

Question 14

Does Publix comment on their political contributions?

Accepted Answer

Publix does not comment on political contributions.

Question 15

Why does Publix engage in the political process?

Accepted Answer

The issues addressed by our elected officials, federal, state and local are simply too important for us to remain on the sidelines.

Question 16

When does Publix comment on new sites?

Accepted Answer

We do not comment on rumors or potential sites. We are only able to confirm a new location once a lease has been signed.

Question 17

Why does Publix not participate in lottery stories?

Accepted Answer

We do not participate in or promote lottery stories. Rather, we offer the lottery as a service to our customers.

Question 18

What is Publix's policy on solicitation?

Accepted Answer

In order to ensure a pleasurable shopping experience for our customers, Publix policy prohibits solicitation at our stores and facilities. This includes, but is not limited to political solicitation, voter registration drives, political campaigning, political signs or political announcements, surveys and/or “man on the street interviews”.

Question 19

Which holidays are Publix stores closed?

Accepted Answer

Publix stores are closed three days a year: Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter. We also close early on Christmas Eve, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day; the times are posted in our stores prior to the holidays.  Since our founding, we have been closed on these three holidays in observance of the holiday and to allow our associates time with family and friends.
Find additional information on store locations and hours here: http://publix.com/store

Question 20

What is Publix's pricing practice?

Accepted Answer

We constantly monitor our prices and always strive to bring the best value to our customers. On occasion it is necessary to change prices due to a number of factors including an increase or decrease in the cost of goods, a response to competitive activity, or a change in the source of supply for an item. Whatever the case may be, it is our desire to always provide the best overall value for our customers by offering the widest range of items, the highest quality and freshness in our perishable products, the most organized and cleanest shopping environment, friendly associates with the greatest product knowledge and the best check-out/carry out service at competitive prices. We work diligently to deliver on all these points of difference every day.

Question 21

What is Publix's position on animal welfare?

Accepted Answer

We believe our company has a responsibility to promote the welfare of animals used to provide food to our customers.  As such, our approach considers the connection between animals, people, and the environment which we share. This includes access to proper veterinary care, access to feed and water, and a safe and healthy environment. The handling, transportation, and treatment of animals throughout all phases of life must be free from cruelty, abuse, and neglect.

Supplier Standards
We choose to work with suppliers who are aligned with our shared belief in a responsibility to treat animals humanely at all phases of their lives. Our suppliers strive to adopt leading industry standards as they are regularly reviewed and improved upon by national boards, councils, animal science, and veterinary experts. Animal welfare is a core component of supplier relations, and we expect transparent communication. Part of that communication includes suppliers sharing details about their animal welfare programs, including specific processes and procedures.

Governance and Oversight 
As industry standards and best practices evolve, oversight is necessary to verify supplier practices.  We track supplier performance utilizing details from Publix required welfare audits that are aligned to specific standards for the industry. These audits are conducted through on-site visits to farms and facilities by independent third-party organizations retained by Publix. Observations and evaluations of animal handling practices are core components of our governance.

Publix also has an internal multi-disciplinary team that evaluates nationally recognized animal welfare standards that are based on the foundational requirements established by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) as well as leaders within each industry. This team engages industry leaders, academia, and government experts, and assesses improvements that can positively impact all animals.

We take concerns regarding animal welfare seriously.   If an issue of alleged abuse arises, we contact our supplier right away and require them to conduct an immediate investigation and respond accordingly. If a situation did occur, we require a corrective action plan from our supplier detailing improvements that will be made to minimize and prevent incidents from occurring in the future.

Question 22

What is Publix's position on antibiotic stewardship?

Accepted Answer

As a responsible corporate citizen, we recognize our role in helping maintain public health, especially as it relates to antibiotic stewardship in the food supply.  Concerns have been raised by public health professionals about the possible misuse of antibiotics and the potential effects this may have on drug resistance in human and animal disease treatments.  
We recognize antibiotics, when used responsibly, can help play a role in the prevention of suffering and maintenance of health in farm animals. Responsible use of antibiotics starts with the adoption and implementation of judicious principles, such as those developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Center for Veterinary Medicine. Under these principles, medically important antibiotics  may be administered under the direction of a licensed veterinarian when medically necessary for an animal’s health. In such circumstances, the veterinarian works with the farmer to verify antibiotics are no longer present prior to the animal entering the food supply chain. This is assessed regularly through the verification efforts of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). 
We continue conversations with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and FDA to discuss our collaborative efforts with suppliers to reduce the use of antibiotics in the food supply. We work with suppliers who are committed to maintaining high standards for responsible antibiotic use. Additionally, we offer a variety of Publix GreenWise branded products for customers desiring meat and poultry options raised with no antibiotics. As part of our commitment to promoting animal welfare and public health, we will continue our efforts to be part of the solution for antibiotic stewardship. For additional information related to antibiotic resistance and food safety, we recommend customers visit the CDC website.

Question 23

What is Publix's position on cage-free eggs?

Accepted Answer

Eggs continue to be an important source of protein for many families. We understand the high standards expected of us regarding food safety and animal welfare and will continue to work to provide our customers with quality products and a variety of choices.
Over the past several years, we have been working with our egg suppliers, industry leaders, governmental agencies and non-governmental organizations to better understand the dynamics of converting our shell egg supply to cage-free, while meeting customer demand, remaining affordable, and promoting animal health and safety. While progress has been achieved with increased cage-free egg options, the pace of this industry change has presented challenges. This is due to the higher costs and retail price associated with cage-free eggs and the ability of smaller farms to remain in business while making necessary investments to convert more production to cage-free eggs. Additionally, some states within our operating area exclude cage-free eggs from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC Program).
Presently, over 60% of our egg items are cage-free. However, these cage-free egg items only make up a little more than one-third of our volume. To help increase the demand of cage-free eggs, we continue to partner with egg suppliers to promote our cage-free options in the weekly ad throughout the year. We now offer six store brand cage-free items to help lower retail prices. However, at this time, the majority of our customers continue to purchase conventional eggs, which are typically lower priced than cage-free eggs.

Question 24

What is Publix's position on the CIW?

Accepted Answer

Farm work is hard work. There is no denying that. We appreciate the work achieved in order to get product off the land and on our customers' tables. We value the relationships along the path from "farm to fork" and realize it takes a lot of people, each providing a great service. Publix remains the focus of a campaign by the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) who seeks to pressure us to become involved in the employment relationship between Florida farmers who grow tomatoes and the farmworkers they employ to harvest their product. Since first approached by the CIW in 2009, we have consistently viewed this issue as a labor dispute, and our position remains the same today.

Question 25

Why are there supply shortages at retail?

Accepted Answer

The supermarket supply chain is under a lot of stress, impacted by product and labor shortages, demand, record exports, shipping constraints, and inflation. We continue to maintain constant communication with our suppliers; however, various product lines may be out of stock in assorted categories.

Question 26

What is Publix's commitment to sustainability?

Accepted Answer

At Publix, our goal is to meet today's needs without compromising what is essential for tomorrow. Simply stated, this means taking care of people and minimizing impact to our planet while remaining profitable.  Sustainability is ingrained in our culture and represented in our Mission Statement through valuing our associates, serving our customers, enhancing our ties to the communities we serve, conserving natural resources, and ensuring economic stewardship for our stockholders. You can learn more about our sustainability efforts at http://sustainability.publix.com/.

Question 27

Why does Publix offer the use of plastic bags?

Accepted Answer

Our Publix Mission challenges us to be responsible citizens in our communities. Part of that mission is to meet today's needs while being mindful of what's essential for tomorrow. Simultaneously, we strive to meet the needs of our customers, many of which have preferences for bagging their groceries which includes the use of plastic bags. While some would suggest that paper bags are better for the environment than plastic bags, this simply is not the case. Reusable bags are the better option. Therefore, we continue to promote the use of reusable bags.