Publix is getting a little less public — and it might be Ozempic’s fault.
This week, the supermarket chain announced it was shuttering several key stores in Florida, Georgia and South Carolina.
In its latest earnings statement, the superstore reported a modest 1% increase in profits and mentioned the Inflation Reduction Act, which reduced Medicare reimbursement rates for certain drugs, as a current challenge. They also noted “economic conditions impacting consumer spending.”
But retail expert Scott Mushkin of R5 capital told the industry analysts at Grocery Dive that “the rising popularity of GLP-1 medications are leading people to cut back on how much food they buy.”
Translation: America’s thinner shape could lead to Publix’s thinner cash flow.
Publix is headquartered in Lakeland, Florida and is the largest employee-owned grocery chain in the United States. trongnguyen – stock.adobe.com
Publix is the largest employee-owned grocery chain in America.
The super-shop operates more than 1,440 stores across eight southeastern states, with about 900 locations in Florida — 62% of its stores — alone.
Along with its massive selection of quality produce and snacks, Publix is famous for its custom deli “Pub Sub” sandwiches, which have gained a cult social media following among Gen Z shoppers.
Publix will close the following locations in 2026:
Florida
5577 Park Street N., St. Petersburg
8250 Mills Drive, Miami
828 Southern Blvd., West Palm Beach
4711 Babcock Street NE, Palm Bay
Georgia
1380 Atlantic Drive NW, Atlanta
2562 Shallowford Road NE, Chamblee
South Carolina
208 Saint James Ave., Goose Creek
The store says it plans to replace the West Palm Beach and Palm Bay supermarkets in the future — but no timeline for the new stores has been revealed yet.
Publix is famous for its custom deli “Pub Subs” sandwiches that have a cult social media following. Refrina – stock.adobe.com
But in the supermarket version of “The Circle of Life,” the beloved franchise also announced six new locations set to open this month:
Alabama
14210 Mooresville Rd., Athens — Oct. 7
Kentucky
8740 US 42, Florence — Oct. 7th
5135 Jenkins Dr., Independence — Oct. 28
Florida
7535 Cortez Rd W., Bradenton — Oct. 22
North Carolina
7483 Rockfish Rd, Fayetteville — Oct. 21
9770 Ocean Highway W., Sunset Beach — Oct. 28
Dining and Cooking