Florida shoppers switch supermarkets in droves as huge price differences are revealed
The grocery war in Florida is heating up - and Publix is no longer the undisputed favorite.
Long cherished for its Southern charm, iconic subs, wide aisles, and tempting 'Buy One, Get One Free' deals, the Florida-born chain built its name on quality and friendly service.
But a growing chorus of shoppers now say those standards are slipping, with rising prices at the checkout pushing some loyal customers to look elsewhere.
Shoppers are favoring the likes of Walmart, Aldi, and Trader Joe's - where they can stretch their cash across far more groceries.
A shopper compared the prices of staple products at Publix with its competitor Walmart, and the differences were stark.
A pack of six Bounty Paper Towel, for example, was priced at a whopping $24.99 at Publix, but cost just $6.94 at Walmart, in the post shared to Reddit.
An avocado would cost you $1.50 at Publix, but just 84 cents at Walmart. Similarly, three pounds of oranges at Publix would be $6.99 and $3.97 at Walmart.
Cheerios were $5.69 at Publix and $3.68 at Walmart, according to the Reddit user. Chicken breast (per pound) was $4.29 at Publix and just $2.67 at Walmart.
Publix has long been considered Florida's favorite supermarket, but shoppers say the store's high standards and fair prices are slipping
'Publix is perceived as overpriced not just slightly higher, but out of step with reality,' the customer wrote.
They continued: 'Shoppers have re-learned how to shop elsewhere splitting trips between Walmart, Aldi, Costco... Customers have discovered that groceries can cost dramatically less without sacrificing quality.'
Indeed, Americans are tightening purse strings amidst economic uncertainty, inflation, and tariffs - and shoppers can no longer afford the luxury of choosing the highest-quality products.
Some say that the quality that Publix is known for isn't substantially higher than its competitors anyway - and certainly not enough to justify the store's steep prices.
'Publix often points to its superior experience: cleaner stores, better service, friendlier staff. But that premium only works when the price gap feels proportional,' the Reddit user wrote. 'A few cents more? Fine. A dollar or two more across dozens of items every trip? Its no longer a premium it's a penalty to shop at Publix.'
One customer admitted that they had opted for Publix because of the deli, bakery, and because it was clean.
'I never quite mastered how it really should have been done, which would have been to get all the essentials at Walmart and only hit up Publix for deli meats, and bakery items,' they said. 'So much extra money spent for no reason!'
'I have been shopping at Publix for 25 years. I used to do about 90 percent of my grocery shopping there. That percentage has gradually eroded, and now I do about 30 percent of my grocery shopping there,' another shared.
Long cherished for its Southern charm, iconic subs, wide aisles, and tempting 'Buy One, Get One Free' deals, the Florida-born chain built its name on quality and friendly service
Publix is loved by Floridians for its Southern charm, great subs, and broad selection
The Florida-born grocer is also known for its frequent 'Buy One, Get One Free' deals, high quality, and friendly customer service
'I'm not poor by any means, but I refuse to shop at Publix for anything other than an actual good deal with the BOGOS,' said someone else.
Someone countered: 'We recently got a Publix. It's obviously more expensive, but the store is so much nicer, tons of people working and they all seem happy to be helpful. When was the last time someone was helpful at Walmart?'
Publix was slammed recently for its extortionately-priced meat. A frustrated shopper took to Reddit to air their grievances after picking up a prime tenderloin steak at a Publix store in Yulee, Florida.
A photo of the package showed the meat priced at a jaw-dropping $61.49 - or $49.99 per pound. 'This is criminal,' the customer wrote. They continued: 'Not only is this meat mediocre, it’s ridiculously priced. What the hell, Publix?! This is the store in Yulee, FL. Only tenderloin on the shelf at all.'
Indeed, Publix might be losing its customers to other major grocers in the state.
'Ingles or even Kroger has better selection,' a Reddit user wrote. 'Whole Foods has a good butcher shop. Costco is the best option for unit economics for sure.'
However, Kroger admitted defeat to Publix in Florida when it announced plans to pull the final online-only grocery centers from the state in November.
Kroger closed all of its stores in the Sunshine State way back in 1988, but continued to serve Floridians through grocery delivery services in some parts of the state via its automated fulfillment center, which it is now shutting.
The sticker on the package of this Publix meat revealed that it was priced at the exorbitant cost of $61.49 — or $49.99 per pound of steak
Publix was founded by George W. Jenkins on September 6, 1930, with the opening of its first store in Winter Haven, Florida (pictured: a vintage photo of Jenkins from the Publix archives)
Trader Joe's recently took aim at Publix by announcing plans to open a slew of Florida-based stores.
However, Publix still dominates the state, operating over 900 stores compared to the measly 27 Trader Joe's locations in Florida.
Meanwhile, despite Costco's loyal customer base, its $65 membership and 35 locations leaves Publix in the number one position.
As for Whole Foods, the upscale grocer offers a more premium, organic, and artisanal focus while Publix firmly remains the everyday favorite.
Nonetheless, more and more customers are calling out the grocer's high prices, and it might just be a matter of time before Publix's reign comes to a bitter end.
