Food Lion and Publix are two popular grocery chains in the southeast. But they can be quite different from each other, and everyone has their preference.
If you’re trying to decide where to shop, consider both. Then, you can determine which has the products and prices you want.
How Do Food Lion and Publix Compare?
Food Lion tends to be cheaper than Publix, but some items cost the same. Both stores carry about the same number of items, but Food Lion has had fewer recalls. However, Publix offers some pretty good deals for some shoppers.
Be sure to look into both stores to get a full picture of shopping at each place. That can help you decide which grocery store better meets your needs.
Store Brand Pricing
You may want to buy brand name items from either store. However, the easiest way to compare prices is to look at the costs of store brand items at Food Lion and Publix.
Food Lion has lower prices in almost every category, from beverages to cleaning supplies. Dairy, canned items, and baking goods are also cheaper there than at Publix. However, Publix is the cheaper option when it comes to personal care options.
The stores tie in the frozen foods section. If you live near both shops, you may want to split your shopping to help save on each item you need to buy.
Number of Products
Food Lion and Publix both sell about the same number of products. At Food Lion, you’ll find around 28,000 different items for sale. Publix comes out slightly ahead with 30,000 different products available.
This is pretty close, so either store should have what you need. However, it helps to look at the specific stock at each store. Maybe one store has a brand you like that you can’t find at the competitor.
Even though Food Lion has fewer products, it might carry more of what you like. In that case, it would make more sense to shop there.
Product Recalls
Product selection matters, but so does product quality. Looking at the number of recalls can help you get a sense of how good the items are. It can also help you predict if there will be more recalls in the future.
Luckily, neither store has had a ton of recalls. Food Lion has recalled 12 food and beverage items, while Publix has recalled 14 in that category. It also recalled one item from the animal and vet section for a total of 15 recalls.
The rate of recalls at Food Lion is 0.04%, while the rate at Publix is 0.05%. Those numbers are very close, so consider other factors to help decide where to shop.
Locations
Of course, nothing else matters if you live close to one store or the other. You can find 1,131 Food Lion stores throughout the eastern US. Almost half of those locations are in North Carolina, with Virginia and South Carolina also having hundreds of stores.
On the other hand, you’ll find 1,306 Publix locations in the southeast. Most of them are in Florida, but Georgia also has quite a few of them.
Both stores are in the Carolinas, Tennessee, and Virginia. However, the other states where these stores operate have one or the other.
Rewards Program
Both stores offer rewards programs, so consider how those differ. At Food Lion, you can sign up for a rewards account online. Then, you’ll earn rewards when you shop at a store or online, so you can get discounts and other perks.
The program also helps you donate food to people in your local community. It’s easy to use, so you can set it up and start saving.
If you prefer Publix, you can join Club Publix. The program offers digital tools to help you save on your groceries. You’ll also receive free birthday items and other custom deals based on what you tend to buy.
It’s a great program, and you can sign up online. That way, you can save on your next purchase.
Working There
Maybe you need a part-time job, or you have a kid who may need one when they reach their teen years. In either case, you should consider what it’s like to work at Food Lion or Publix.
Both companies have a similar CEO score, but Publix beats Food Lion by about five percent. Publix employees also tend to be happier with the amount they make. Most positions pay better at Publix, but customer service reps make more at Food Lion.
The hiring process takes about the same amount of time at both stores. Of course, you should ask plenty of questions if you get interviews at both stores to decide where you’d prefer to work.
Shop at Both Food Lion and Publix
If you live in the Carolinas, you may live near a Food Lion and a Publix. That means you can shop at both stores, and you can check both locations for the best deals.
For example, you may buy personal care items at Publix but save other items for Food Lion. You should also join both rewards programs to save even more money on your groceries.
Food Lion tends to be better than Publix when it comes to prices. However, Publix has more locations and more product variety. Publix employees are also happier with their pay rates. Either way, try both stores if you can to see which suits your needs better.