Shoppers love getting something for free, so it's not surprising retailers use Buy One, Get One deals to draw consumers in.
It can be argued that Publixis the king of BOGO, offering new deals every week. Not just one or two, but a long list of items.
How do BOGOs work, though? It may be obvious if you buy one item, you get the second one for "free," but what if you really only want one? Would that one item be half off?
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That depends on where you live; especially for Florida shoppers, many of whomaren't happy that the Sunshine State's Publix BOGOs work differently than in other states.
Here's what you should know.
When do new Publix BOGOs come out?
Publix drops new BOGO offers every Wednesday or Thursday, depending on your store's location.
Sales last through
store closing the following week, running either on a Wednesday-through-Tuesday cycle or a Thursday-through-Wednesday cycle.
What is a BOGO?
BOGO stands for Buy One, Get One (free). Essentially, you're paying half price for both items if you pick up two.
Publix offers more than 100 BOGO deals every week
Publix offers a long list of BOGO offers every week.
There were 140 items — yes, I counted — listed for the period ending Sept. 16, ranging from coleslaw and Italian sausage to ice cream and laundry detergent.
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Light bulbs, supplements, wine, and even dog food made the list.
And it's not just the "inexpensive" items on BOGO. Need a pack of LED light bulbs? Buy one for $17.79 through Sept. 16 and get the second pack at no extra cost.
Don't see anything you want or need today? On Sept. 16, Publix's website also shows you what will be on BOGO starting Sept. 17 to help you plan your savings.
If I only get one BOGO item, would it be half price at Publix? Not in Florida
If you only grab one BOGO item, the other item would be half price, unless you live in Florida. Florida residents would pay the full price for the single item, which doesn't make many Florida shoppers happy.
Want to get the discount? In Florida, you would have to buy both items, making each one basically half price.
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"In states outside Florida, customers may either get a second item for free or purchase a single item at half price," said Lindsey Willis, Publix media relations manager via email.
"This has been our approach since we introduced BOGO promotions and remains one of the most popular ways our customers save.
"We adopted this approach to align with customer expectations in markets where similar promotions are commonly offered that way."
"This has beenour approachsince we introduced our BOGO promotions," Hannah Herring, a spokeswoman for the Lakeland-based chain, told USA TODAY Network-Florida.
BOGO offers take up huge chunk of sale offers at Publix
In August 2025, Mass Market Retailerspointed to data from global ad tracking firm Catalytics showing a "significant shift in promotional strategy at Publix, with Buy One, Get One Free (BOGO) offers now representing nearly 40% of all circular promotions year-to-date in 2025 — up from just 22% in 2022.
"This represents an 80% increase in BOGO share over the past four years.
"The trend reflects a growing focus on high-value promotions thatappeal to cost-conscious shoppers."
Survey: Should Publix change BOGO rules in Florida?
Want to save more? Publix goes beyond BOGO deals
"Beyond our BOGO deals, Publix provides customers with a variety of savings opportunities each week through our weekly ad, digital coupons, our Extra Savings Flyer, in-store promotions and Club Publix member perks," Willis said.
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"We remain committed to providing value, quality and premier customer service for our customers every day."
Why do consumers like BOGO so much?
"Though traditional discount sales are effective, Buy One, Get One has become one of the more popular choices for retailers lately," according to wiser.com.
A study by AMG Strategic Advisors showed 93% of shoppers’ favorite deals are BOGO sales promotions. The same research showed that 66% of shoppers preferred BOGOs to other promotions, according to Retail Science.
Respondents in the study said they took advantage of BOGO offers because “I like free stuff” and “Seems like I’m getting more.”
"The study also showed that the psychology of the sale inferring that shoppers get something 'free' is more effective than offering a 50% discount which essentially is the same thing," according to Retail Science.
"While 9.6% of shoppers like the half-off offers, it doesn’t approach the two-thirds who prefer BOGOs."
Looking for more Publix deals? Join Club Publix
Sign up with Club Publix to save even more, ranging from a free cake — or ice cream — for your birthday to dollars off at checkout.
You're also able to clip digital coupons and get a sneak peek at the weekly ad a day earlier than other shoppers.
Publix operates more than 1,400 stores, with most in Florida
There are 897 Publix locations in Florida. The supermarket chain has 1,442 stores in eight states and is headquartered in Florida.
New stores opening soon include one in Apopka on Sept. 24 and four in Kentucky.
Contributor: Clayton Park, USA TODAY Network-Florida.
Cheryl McCloud is a journalist for the USA TODAY Network-Florida's service journalism Connect team. You can get all of Florida’s best content directly in your inbox each weekday day by signing up for the free newsletter, Florida TODAY, at https://heraldtribune.com/newsletters.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: When do new Publix BOGOs come out? If you buy 1, is it half price?
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