[beach43ofus]

Originally Posted by Thundarr457

I was so traumatized by my visit last Tuesday, I do not plan on going back to Publix until this is over. I normally shop at Publix for most of our needs, but the sight of 100s' of seniors packing the store and one coughing without covering her mouth was enough for me. I will pick up a few things at Fresh Market, which is rarely busy, once a week now.

I know how you feel. I went to Publix yesterday and had a similar experience. My bad...I saw the parking lot was ~1/2 full, so I should have returned after dark when most Seniors won't be out. I won't make that mistake again.

C-D'ers here told me to avoid mornings, so I went at 1:30pm, and went to a store that is usually slow because its in a sparsely populated area. It wasnt packed, just too many people to insure 6' distancing 100% of the time.

I was covered up like a hazmat response guy, but 75% of shoppers had no protection. The store personnel were totally vulnerable.

They must start placing a headcount limit at each store and monitor it for compliance. Wait outside until 1 person exits, and then 1 person can enter to maintain the count. DeSantis should inact a law immediately because grocery stores are ground zero in this fight right now.

I too am ditching Publix until this is over. They are not doing all they could be doing, and 75% stocked isnt worth the risk to me.

I'm going to Aldi, and Dollar General until this ends.

[twowilldo]

Originally Posted by Corrie22

Publix and other Florida Supermarkets are announcing special early morning hours just for people 60 and older....

.........the other 10 people in the state are thrilled to have the stores to themselves the rest of the day

Lols, thanks for the humor Corrie, appreciated!

[OpinionInOcala]

Originally Posted by Thundarr457

I was so traumatized by my visit last Tuesday, I do not plan on going back to Publix until this is over. I normally shop at Publix for most of our needs, but the sight of 100s' of seniors packing the store and one coughing without covering her mouth was enough for me. I will pick up a few things at Fresh Market, which is rarely busy, once a week now.

While I've always been disgusted by the behavior of some people, it's particularly frustrating to me now given the prevailing circumstances. Can't go anywhere without noticing the wanton disregard for health at the moment. Shopping is like a two-edged sword in many cases. You either brave the heavy crowds (and increased exposure) to hopefully acquire something you haven't had in weeks, or you go during less busy times almost certainly destined to miss out on staple items.

One thing that has irked me a bit in talking with staff at a couple of our local Publix locations has been that they've said the same seniors are lined up prior to the store opening each morning, and most of them are there to purchase the same items over and over again, preventing others from ever having a chance. I can understand a couple of times, or even helping out a neighbor/family in need, but many of these folks I'm told have been doing it six or seven days each week for the past three weeks. They're out of paper products, disinfectant cleaners, beans, rice, chicken, pork, eggs, bacon, sausage, hot dogs and carrots in less than 45-minutes of opening the doors, and the cashiers are still being regularly cursed out and threatened over enforcing quantity limits. People need to calm down, or when things get really bad in some areas, violence will skyrocket.

[beach43ofus]

Step #1 Ditch Publix. Go anywhere else. You'll have fewer shoppers that could expose you to the virus, and shelves that are stocked at a higher rate than the 75% I'm seeing at Publix in my 2 trips there in March.

I have no vested interest in any retail store, I have nothing against Publix, I'm just sharing what I've learned over the past 3 weeks.

Step #2 Don't go early in the morning and stand in lines outside. That increases exposure, and stress.

Step #3 Judge the # of shoppers inside by the # of cars in the parking lot.

I'm hearing people are having much better success at Winn-Dixie, Aldi, Whole Foods, Fresh Foods, Dollar General, Target, Costco, and yes...even WalMart over Publix.

Originally Posted by OpinionInOcala

While I've always been disgusted by the behavior of some people, it's particularly frustrating to me now given the prevailing circumstances. Can't go anywhere without noticing the wanton disregard for health at the moment. Shopping is like a two-edged sword in many cases. You either brave the heavy crowds (and increased exposure) to hopefully acquire something you haven't had in weeks, or you go during less busy times almost certainly destined to miss out on staple items.

One thing that has irked me a bit in talking with staff at a couple of our local Publix locations has been that they've said the same seniors are lined up prior to the store opening each morning, and most of them are there to purchase the same items over and over again, preventing others from ever having a chance. I can understand a couple of times, or even helping out a neighbor/family in need, but many of these folks I'm told have been doing it six or seven days each week for the past three weeks. They're out of paper products, disinfectant cleaners, beans, rice, chicken, pork, eggs, bacon, sausage, hot dogs and carrots in less than 45-minutes of opening the doors, and the cashiers are still being regularly cursed out and threatened over enforcing quantity limits. People need to calm down, or when things get really bad in some areas, violence will skyrocket.

[Veniceman]

Originally Posted by OpinionInOcala

While I've always been disgusted by the behavior of some people, it's particularly frustrating to me now given the prevailing circumstances. Can't go anywhere without noticing the wanton disregard for health at the moment. Shopping is like a two-edged sword in many cases. You either brave the heavy crowds (and increased exposure) to hopefully acquire something you haven't had in weeks, or you go during less busy times almost certainly destined to miss out on staple items.

One thing that has irked me a bit in talking with staff at a couple of our local Publix locations has been that they've said the same seniors are lined up prior to the store opening each morning, and most of them are there to purchase the same items over and over again, preventing others from ever having a chance. I can understand a couple of times, or even helping out a neighbor/family in need, but many of these folks I'm told have been doing it six or seven days each week for the past three weeks. They're out of paper products, disinfectant cleaners, beans, rice, chicken, pork, eggs, bacon, sausage, hot dogs and carrots in less than 45-minutes of opening the doors, and the cashiers are still being regularly cursed out and threatened over enforcing quantity limits. People need to calm down, or when things get really bad in some areas, violence will skyrocket.

I agree with you. Maybe we need to bring back the old WW2 rationing system. The way things are now stores cannot stop people from hoarding. A certain percent of the population will always display self centered behavior. It never ceases to amaze me why people can't see beyond their own self interest. I'll go without before I go down that road.

[boy3365]

Originally Posted by beach43ofus

Step #1 Ditch Publix. Go anywhere else. You'll have fewer shoppers that could expose you to the virus, and shelves that are stocked at a higher rate than the 75% I'm seeing at Publix in my 2 trips there in March.

I have no vested interest in any retail store, I have nothing against Publix, I'm just sharing what I've learned over the past 3 weeks.

Step #2 Don't go early in the morning and stand in lines outside. That increases exposure, and stress.

Step #3 Judge the # of shoppers inside by the # of cars in the parking lot.

I'm hearing people are having much better success at Winn-Dixie, Aldi, Whole Foods, Fresh Foods, Dollar General, Target, Costco, and yes...even WalMart over Publix.

I learned during the past few hurricane scares that the places to avoid were Publix and Walmart. It’s not that they are doing a bad job, but because the major stores were the most crowded. Lucky’s and Earth Fare we’re fully stocked during Hurricane Dorian threat days. The office supply stores had plenty of batteries too.

It’s pretty much gone everywhere now, but when the major grocers as well as Walmart and Target were running out of paper towels, toilet paper, and disinfectants at the beginning of this ordeal, Office Depot had a huge supply of of it all.

[Thundarr457]

Update:

This is the exact store I shopped at:

https://news.wjct.org/post/customer-...nosed-covid-19

I'm glad I haven't gone back.

[Florida2014]

Originally Posted by Thundarr457

Update:

This is the exact store I shopped at:

https://news.wjct.org/post/customer-...nosed-covid-19

I'm glad I haven't gone back.

I have to believe dozens of Publix employees are already carriers of the virus. What irked me the most is since most all Publix locations (I know....some do) don't have self checkouts. So you get not one but TWO Publix employees handling all your food upon checkout with their disgusting bare hands, the cashier and the person bagging your food. This is gross enough even when we're not in a pandemic.

I believe I read recently Publix is "allowing" not requiring employees to wear gloves/masks, but honestly I gave Publix bad feedback years ago when I noticed this behavior. Heaven help you if a piece of fruit falls out of your bag, someone who has been touching dirty money all day grabs that piece of fruit and puts it back into your bag. No thanks, just throw it away now.

I wish we had more/better options here. Publix is saturating our area so much that they are driving all other chains away. I like WalMart Neighborhood Market due to their self-checkout and much smaller crowds. I went there at opening last week and there were only about 7 of us waiting in line to open up, everyone kept their distance and you have self checkouts which you can wipe down thoroughly.

[boy3365]

Originally Posted by Thundarr457

Update:

This is the exact store I shopped at:

https://news.wjct.org/post/customer-...nosed-covid-19

I'm glad I haven't gone back.

Yeah. People all around the country and maybe world have said that grocery stores are going to be the breeding grounds for the virus.

Originally Posted by Florida2014

I have to believe dozens of Publix employees are already carriers of the virus. What irked me the most is since most all Publix locations (I know....some do) don't have self checkouts. So you get not one but TWO Publix employees handling all your food upon checkout with their disgusting bare hands, the cashier and the person bagging your food. This is gross enough even when we're not in a pandemic.

I believe I read recently Publix is "allowing" not requiring employees to wear gloves/masks, but honestly I gave Publix bad feedback years ago when I noticed this behavior. Heaven help you if a piece of fruit falls out of your bag, someone who has been touching dirty money all day grabs that piece of fruit and puts it back into your bag. No thanks, just throw it away now.

I wish we had more/better options here. Publix is saturating our area so much that they are driving all other chains away. I like WalMart Neighborhood Market due to their self-checkout and much smaller crowds. I went there at opening last week and there were only about 7 of us waiting in line to open up, everyone kept their distance and you have self checkouts which you can wipe down thoroughly.

I've heard that self-checkout is common at many of their non-Florida stores, which tend to be newer and larger. There is the issue with a bagger handling your fruit, but you also don't know what happened in the life of that fruit before you grabbed it out of the bin.

[Florida2014]

Originally Posted by boy3365

I've heard that self-checkout is common at many of their non-Florida stores, which tend to be newer and larger. There is the issue with a bagger handling your fruit, but you also don't know what happened in the life of that fruit before you grabbed it out of the bin.

Yep, no doubt. I'd just rather lessen my odds by not having two random people who I know have been touching hundreds/thousands of items touching my food directly in front of me.