TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Publix shoppers will have to put a cap on their holiday season purchases after the supermarket chain enacted purchase limits across all stories.
Director of Communications Maria Brous said high holiday demand and supply problems have forced the chain to limit certain items to 2 per customer.
Brous said signs will be placed in stores to let the customers know about the limits.
These items include:
- Canned cranberry sauce
- Jarred gravy
- Canned pie filling
- Canola and vegetable oil
- Cream cheese
- Bacon
- Rolled breakfast sausage
- Paper napkins
- Disposable plates, cups, and cutlery
- Bath tissue
- Refrigerated snacks (Lunchable type items)
- Sports drinks
- Aseptic type juices (Capri sun)
- Canned cat food (variety packs)
- Refrigerated pet food
The limits will be enacted across all seven states where Publix operates, which include Virginia and North Carolina.
“I believe that there is still enough supply for demand for those products. However, we have seen panic buying within the public and I believe that Publix is just trying to be cautious,” said Dr. Seckin Ozkul, director of the Supply Chain Innovation Lab at the USF Muma College of Business. “I believe it’s a good idea just to basically send a message of – just buy what you need and don’t necessarily buy somebody else’s.”
Dr. Ozkul points to what happened in the early months of the pandemic when panic buyers emptied shelves of toilet paper.
He says it is also possible delays at international ports could play a role.
“It’s a possibility that Publix is foreseeing also that, if some of these items are really coming in out of the country and the ports congestion issue was a factor, they also may be implementing some limitations but really my main take on this they are just being precautious that everyone has enough food for Thanksgiving,” said Dr. Ozkul.
A Publix spokesperson declined to say how long the policy will be in place.