As early as the 1970s, long before eco-savvy was chic, Publix began formalizing recycling by collecting all cardboard from stores and working with paper companies to recycle.
Today, our recycling efforts don’t stop at paper and plastic. From the moment you enter the store, there are sustainability efforts happening. Learn some of what each department is doing to support our mission to be responsible citizens in our communities.
• Customer service — More than 5 billion paper and plastic bags have been saved through training our front service clerks on proper bagging techniques and thanks to our customers opting for reusable bags. We save an average of over 50 million paper and plastic grocery bags a month.
• Pharmacy — In 2016 alone, our customers returned more than 8 million Publix Pharmacy vials for recycling. Our vial manufacturer directly recycles them into the production of new ones, which has enabled us to reprocess over 35 million vials since 2011.
• Grocery — Removing cardboard trays from our Publix 24-pack bottled water saves more than 13 million trays — or 2.2 million pounds of cardboard — per year.
• Deli — We’ve eliminated 35,000 pounds of packaging annually by switching from canned tuna to tuna pouches for our Publix Deli Tuna Salad.
• Meat and seafood — We reduced the amount of polystyrene foam and hard-to-recycle cardboard used to transport seafood products to our stores by switching to returnable plastic totes for our seafood shipments.
• Produce — Publix partners with many growers who support sustainable agriculture through land and wildlife preservation, energy and water conservation, and recycling.
• Bakery — Last year, our stores donated 40.6 million pounds of bakery products to local organizations to help feed those in need.
Our impact on the planet is always on our minds, and we strive to develop new ways to operate in a caring and careful manner. While we’ve made great progress, we know there’s always room for improvement. By constantly seeking new information and innovations, and collaborating with our partners, Publix will continue to be a leader in sustainability.
To learn more about these and other sustainability efforts, visit www.publix.com/sustainability.
