The Reason Some Shoppers Have Abandoned Publix In Favor Of Other Stores

We know the cheapest grocery store in the States, and it ain't Publix. At the grocery store where shopping is allegedly a pleasure, why the heck are prices so high? That's the question that social media users want to know. Publix has built a great reputation in the Southeastern U.S. for its impeccable stores, high-quality products, and its iconic "PubSub" customizations that are better than Subway. Unfortunately, it also has a rep for being expensive. To wit, take a look at inflamed comments on the net.

"Publix is price gouging us massively," trumpets the headline of a Reddit post. "They are charging double what Walmart charges for the same products." The post in question showed bags of Dunkin' coffee, which Publix was selling for twice as much as Walmart currently offered it (admittedly, on sale). On another Reddit post expressing disbelief over a tenderloin steak priced at over $60, a rattled consumer stated: "I can still get all my groceries for five at Aldi for $120 / week + $20 a month chicken breasts from Sam's. I couldn't blow half my weekly food budget on one piece of Publix meat." 

Wondering why people still shopped at Publix in the face of high prices was the subject of a Facebook post from a group based in Wesley Chapel, Florida: "Why [do] people buy from expensive Publix when we have save alot [sic] and winn dixie around the corner?" Meanwhile, on TikTok, a user titled her video, "Publix, I love you but ... my wallet does not," while exclaiming over the high prices.

In the interest of fairness to all parties, we feel called upon to clarify a few things here. First of all, as some Reddit users pointed out in the comments, "price gouging" is a term that has a specific legal definition related to retailers jacking prices up before or after an emergency. Publix may be overpriced, but it is not gouging anyone. Secondly, as also mentioned in several places, Publix has one major cost-saving ace up its sleeve, and that is its weekly collection of buy one, get one (BOGO) deals, which usually bring the cost of products down below that of competitors. Although it's not always the most convenient way to shop, you may actually save money if you scan the list of Publix BOGO deals and shop them weekly, while doing the rest of your shopping elsewhere, like Aldi or Walmart.

WIth grocery bills continuing to rise, consumers are definitely looking for bargains when shopping for food. It can be galling when one supermarket — Publix, in this case — seems much more expensive than its competitors. Judging by anecdotal comparisons, it does seem like many items at Publix may cost more ... if you buy them at sticker price. With that said, Publix is also known for its sales. As is the case almost everywhere in life, you win some and you lose some. If you do want to check out the Publix BOGOs, you should know the best days to shop at the store, hands down.