Are Publix scales disappearing from supermarkets? Here’s what to know

The oversized green scales that have greeted Publix shoppers for nearly a century are slowly vanishing as the manufacturer stopped making them in 2015. New stores are opening without them, and remaining scales are being kept alive by the repair shop — but the chain says the last one will eventually retire.

FULL STORY: ‘If I want to weigh myself, I go to Publix.’ Is a century-long tradition ending?

Here are key takeaways:

• Founder George Jenkins first placed “people weighers” in his stores in 1930, predating the Pub Sub by 62 years. The scales have always been free for customers.

• The manufacturer stopped producing the scales in 2015. When scales are removed from stores, they go to Publix’s repair shop and may be sent to another location or held for parts.

• New Publix locations are opening without scales. The sprawling Riviera Publix in Coral Gables, which debuted last fall, does not have one.

• Scales originally stood in the back of stores but were moved to the front for convenience, where remaining ones can still be found.

This report was produced with the assistance of a proprietary tool powered by artificial intelligence and using our own originally reported, written and published content. It was reviewed and edited by our journalists.