An image shared on Facebook claims supermarket chain Publix has said it will no longer sell products by the ice cream maker Ben & Jerry’s in support of Israel.

Verdict: False

There is no evidence Publix will stop selling Ben & Jerry’s ice cream in support of Israel. Publix has refuted this rumor.

Fact Check:

Ben & Jerry’s announced July 19 that it would stop sales of its ice cream in Israeli-occupied Palestinian territory, saying it was “inconsistent with our values” for those sales to take place. Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett decried the move and pledged that Israel would “act aggressively against all boycott actions directed against its citizens,” the Associated Press reported.

Now, a July 25 Facebook post says a Publix store manager explained that there were no longer Ben & Jerry’s products on its shelves in opposition to “hate and boycotts.” The bottom of the image contains what appears to be an announcement from Publix, reading: “Due to the recent statement by Ben & Jerry’s We will no longer be carrying their products, effective immediately! We stand with Israel!”

Publix did not, however, make such a statement, nor did it stop selling Ben & Jerry’s products. A search of the supermarket’s press releases and verified social media accounts turned up no announcement to that effect. Check Your Fact found several flavors of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream for sale on Publix’s website on July 28.

Had Publix ended the sales of Ben & Jerry’s, media outlets would likely report on it, yet none have, except to debunk the claim. (RELATED: Did Lionel Messi Say He Would Not Play A Soccer Match Against Israel?)

Furthermore, Publix refuted the claim on Twitter several times in response to tweets asking about the purported policy.

We try our best to satisfy all customers, but it’s not always easy. While we currently don’t plan to remove Ben & Jerry’s from our stores, we’ll continue evaluating products based on sales. We trust our customers will purchase items they prefer and brands they support. ▼Austin

— Publix (@Publix) July 23, 2021

“We try our best to satisfy all customers, but it’s not always easy,” the company stated in the replies. “While we currently don’t plan to remove Ben & Jerry’s from our stores, we’ll continue evaluating products based on sales. We trust our customers will purchase items they prefer and brands they support. “