<p style="text-indent:0px; line-height:12px;"><span style="font-weight:bold;line-height:130%"> Lakeland, FL</span><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">By ANUK Staff<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">4.26.13</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><img src="https://cdn.andnowuknow.com/legacyWriterImages/publix_vs_walmart_apr_2013_BODY_02.jpg" alt="IMAGES APRIL 26 2013" />Publix has long been the leader of grocery sales in South Florida; its market share is larger than every other competitor combined. But a formidable player has decided it’s not satisfied playing second fiddle. Walmart is opening and expanding stores across the area, intent on grabbing a bigger piece of the grocery pie.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">Last year, Walmart kicked off an aggressive two-year growth plan, but Publix is standing in the way. The company has released television ads directly attacking Publix and claiming lower prices. Publix has fired back with ads fending off Walmart’s claims, according to the Sun Sentinel.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">The ads are clearly focused at Publix, owner of a 52.8 market share in South Florida, according to The Shelby Report, a Georgia-based food and grocery industry publication. Walmart, which currently holds a 14.7 percent share of the South Florida market, features its customers touting lower prices - customers are depicted showing off their receipts to the camera in comparing their savings to Publix.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><img src="https://cdn.andnowuknow.com/legacyWriterImages/publix_vs_walmart_apr_2013_BODY_01.jpg" alt="IMAGES APRIL 26 2013" /><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">The Lakeland-based grocer launched ads earlier this year telling customers: "The scoop: Walmart doesn't always have the lowest price."<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><img src="http://anuk-clients.s3.amazonaws.com/Publix/publix_vs_walmart_apr_2013_BODY_00.gif" alt="IMAGES APRIL 26 2013" /><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">Customer loyalty matters at Publix. They tout clean stores, quality fresh foods and attentive employees. It's kept customers like George Stubbs going back.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">"They have certain things I can't get at other stores," like guava-filled finger-sized pastries, the 82-year-old Plantation resident said after walking out of a Publix. "This is more of a grocery store."<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">Others have made the switch. Ever since a Walmart Neighborhood Market opened near Bonnie Giacobbi's Plantation home, she says she's stopped shopping for groceries anywhere else.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">"The prices are absolutely much better than Publix," Giacobbi said as she unloaded plastic bags from a packed shopping cart and unto the trunk of her car . "You get much more value. It means a lot to keep my money in my pocket."<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">In Palm Beach County, there are 11 supercenters and four neighborhood markets. In Delray Beach, a new neighborhood market is expected to open early next year.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">The neighborhood markets are heavily focused on grocery. In supercenters, grocery selections are just one of the sections in addition to general merchandise.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">Both companies are sticking to their distinct business models, pointed Steve Kirn, executive director of the University of Florida's David F. Miller Center for Retailing Education and Research.Publix highlights their 10 for $10 deals, buy-one-get-one-free offers and even takes coupons from competitors. Walmart's goal is to have the lowest prices on a day-to-day basis.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">Though Publix prices may typically be higher than Walmart, that allows the grocer to provide more service to its customers, Kirn said.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">"It takes money to put people on the floors, baggers, people taking groceries to the car, they'll walk you to the aisle if you can't find something," he said. "Walmart is not doing that, and they can't if they're going to have lower prices."<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">"For some people, that's a fair trade-off," Kirn said.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><a class="btn btn-sm btn-primary col-lg-12" style="white-space: normal;" href=" http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2013-04-25/business/fl-walmart-vs-publix-20130425_1_walmart-neighborhood-market-maria-brous-publix" target="_new">Walmart – Publix Report</a><img src="https://cdn.andnowuknow.com/legacyWriterImages/publix_vs_walmart_apr_2013_BODY_03.jpg" alt="IMAGES APRIL 26 2013" /></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">
