Will Publix’s Reversal on Open Carry Policy in its Florida Stores Harm Business?

With more than 900 locations across Florida, Publix serves a large section of the state’s grocery shoppers — and now, the grocer is making headlines for a reversal of its previous policy allowing open carry of firearms at its stores.

According to FOX Business writer Sophia Compton, Publix now “kindly asks that only law enforcement openly carry firearms in our stores.” This is an about-face from a previous position adopted by the grocery chain, when it said that it would allow for patrons to open carry within its Florida locations following a state appeals court ruling which had struck down the state’s existing ban as unconstitutional.

Publix was one of a few remaining grocers which permitted the practice of open carry as it concerned shoppers, with competitors such as Costco, Sam’s Club, Target, Walmart, and Winn-Dixie having already requested that customers refrain from doing so while patronizing their stores.

“In any instance where a customer creates a threatening, erratic, or dangerous shopping experience — whether they are openly carrying a firearm or not — we will engage local law enforcement to protect our customers and associates,” Publix wrote in an October 2025 statement to The New York Times, shortly after the ruling, while defending its initial decision to allow open carry.

It should be noted that the new rules issued by Publix continue to allow shoppers to carry concealed firearms whenever allowable by law.

Opinions Appear Mixed Over Publix’s Move To Halt Open Carry Among Florida Customers

Some degree of public outcry over the backtracking move on this issue is in evidence on social media platforms, as The U.S. Sun detailed.

“@publix just reversed their open carry policy inside of the grocery store. No longer allowing it. Bioengineered food and now can’t carry your gun for safety. Time to boycott #boycottpublix,” wrote one user, with a second chiming in to also call for a boycott while criticizing Publix’s “anti-Second Amendment nonsense.”

Conversely, The U.S. Sun also cited at least one contrary opinion: “I may step inside a @Publix again now that they outlaw open carry,” wrote a user in support of Publix’s latest request to its customers.

Meanwhile, on a Reddit thread, reaction was decidedly cynical — many users believing that Publix management would never enforce the new request to prevent open carry among customers, and other simply agreeing with the motive behind no longer permitting the practice.

Former Florida Circuit Court Judge Frames Issue as Private Property Issue, Rather Than 2A Issue

The New York Post cited Judge Tarlika Nunez-Navarro, former Florida Circuit Court judge and dean at St. Thomas University College of Law, on the subject.

Even in states with broad firearm protections, private businesses still generally have the right to set rules for conduct inside their stores. So legally, Publix can ask customers not to openly carry firearms on its property, even if certain forms of firearm possession may otherwise be lawful under Florida law,” Nunez-Navarro said.

“[This is] more of a private property issue than a Second Amendment issue,” Nunez-Navarro added, also underscoring that customers who refuse to comply following a request to leave the store could end up facing trespassing charges.

“What makes these situations legally interesting is that businesses are trying to balance two different rights at the same time — firearm rights on one hand and private property rights on the other. Courts have long recognized that businesses can establish policies they believe are necessary for safety and operations inside their own stores,” she concluded.