Publix has confirmed it will allow customers to openly carry firearms inside its Florida stores, following a court ruling that struck down the state’s long-standing open carry ban.

In a statement to 7News, a spokesperson for Publix said the grocery chain “follows all federal, state and local laws” and emphasized that “treating customers with dignity and respect is a founding belief.”

The spokesperson added that they will contact law enforcement “in any instance where a customer creates a threatening, erratic or dangerous shopping experience – whether they are openly carrying a firearm or not.”

Florida’s open carry law took effect Sept. 25 after an appeals court deemed the state’s previous ban unconstitutional. Under the ruling, private businesses are permitted to set their own policies

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