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Who owns Publix? Calls to boycott supermarket chain grow as it donated to 'Don’t Say Gay' bill sponsors

Netizens slammed Publix and are calling for its boycott after it was reported that the company made donations to the sponsors of Florida's controversial bill

Publix has been trending lately but for all the wrong reasons. It started after a student activist named Jack Petocz tweeted that he had resigned from the supermarket company after it apparently gave money to the sponsors of the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, also called the “Parental Rights in Education” bill, which limits schools from teaching about sexual orientation and gender issues to students.

The bill, which was passed on 24 February and made into law on March 28 after Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed it, states that “classroom instruction by school personnel or third parties on sexual orientation or gender identity may not occur in kindergarten through [third grade]” or “in a manner that is not age appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standards."

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Taking to Twitter, Petocz wrote, “Today, I resigned from @Publix. After 4 years of service, I was so disheartened when the company failed to even make a statement following more than $200,000 in donations to the sponsors of the Don't Say Gay bill. Let's all call on Publix to #StopFundingHate.”

His tweet attracted a lot of attention with many people joining in to call out as well as boycott Publix. A user said, “Good for you! I hope you had an exit interview. I worked for a Publix bakery in S. Florida throughout high school and college (when on breaks). I've been hugely disappointed in their leadership backing Trump and not protecting their employees.” Another user targeting Publix’s “Earth Day” tweet, noted, “@Publix new slogan ‘save the earth, just not the gays!’”

The third one wrote, “Yup, I remember Publix. They would not hire me at 14 as a bag boy because they didn’t hire Black bag boys in the 80s and in the 90s clerking for a federal judge, I worked on the case where they were hammered with the largest sex discrimination class action in history at the time.” The fourth one remarked, “#BoycottPublix They have always sucked and given to corrupt repukes. Stop giving Publix money and they will change or go away.”

A person mentioned, “Time to #BoycottPublix!!! They donated to those involved in the Insurrection and now this!” The second person said, “Money and power is all that the family who owns Publix wants! They don’t give a crap about proportion our Democracy. #boycottPublix.” “Publix Founder’s daughter gave 500K to fund the insurrection. Publix gave DeSantis millions to have control of the Covid shots in the beginning and now this. I have been boycotting Publix since January 6, 2020,” a tweet added.

Who owns Publix?

The supermarket chain was founded in 1930 by George W Jenkins. It reportedly derived its name from a cinema chain called Publix Theaters Corporation. The first store of Publix was opened in Winter Haven, Florida, after which, the second one was opened in 1935. It now has 1,266 stores, out of which 818 are in Florida.

As per reports, “The chain is one of only a few to operate more than 1,000 stores in the United States and employs approximately 227,000 people across the southeast of the country. Publix also has a rather unique ownership structure.” Also, Publix is reportedly the largest employee-owned corporation in the US. According to Forbes, “Employees own an estimated 80 per cent and Jenkins family members own the rest,” and the family’s worth is $8.8 billion.