Publix Alters Open Carry Policy in Florida

Publix has made a significant change to its open carry policy, now requesting that customers leave visible firearms at home. This decision comes just months after a controversial legal ruling permitted open carry in the store.

New signs have appeared at Publix locations throughout Florida stating, “At Publix, only law enforcement may openly carry firearms inside our stores.” The supermarket chain, headquartered in Lakeland, operates about 900 stores in Florida and another 550 elsewhere.

Changes are also being reflected on the Publix Customer Service FAQ Page, which reiterates that only law enforcement should openly handle firearms in the stores.

Judge Tarika Nunez-Navarro, a former circuit court judge in Florida, pointed out that while certain firearm possession is legal in the state, private companies possess the right to establish their own in-store rules. She emphasized this issue is more about property rights rather than the Second Amendment, indicating that non-compliance may lead to consequences for trespassing.

This situation is interesting legally, as it pits two different rights against each other: the rights to carry firearms and the rights to manage private property. Nunez-Navarro remarked that courts have long upheld that businesses can create policies to ensure safety within their environments.

The new policy arrives less than a year after Florida enabled open carry following a court ruling that deemed the previous ban unconstitutional.

Initially, Publix had opted not to prohibit open carry, stating it would adhere to all applicable laws but would allow store managers to take action against any threatening or disruptive behavior at their discretion. This stance, however, faced backlash from some shoppers who expressed fear over the implications of armed civilians in grocery stores.

Competitors like Walmart, Kroger, Target, and Whole Foods have maintained similar policies, either encouraging or restricting open carry as the laws evolved. Walmart, for example, requests that customers refrain from openly carrying firearms except for authorized law enforcement.

While Publix has not publicly disclosed the reasons behind this policy shift, it comes in the wake of several notable shootings linked to its stores in Florida, including a tragic triple murder-suicide incident. Such events have raised safety concerns and led to legal actions against the company, although a court recently ruled Publix was not liable for the attacks.

The atmosphere in Publix stores has been shaken by various incidents, such as a shooting in Coral Gables and a road rage incident that forced shoppers to evacuate a parking lot in Poinciana. These occurrences have heightened anxieties around safety for both customers and the management of Publix.