JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Winn-Dixie Stores Inc. is making grocery part of the solution this flu season.
The Southeastern food and drug retailer on Monday unveiled its What-A-Deal flu prevention program, in which customers who get a seasonal flu vaccination at a Winn-Dixie pharmacy receive the following items free: a four-pound bag of Florida navel oranges, a 1.75-liter container of Simply Orange orange juice, an eight-ounce bottle of Winn-Dixie hand sanitizer, a 35-count package of Winn-Dixie disinfecting wipes and a 75-count box of Scotties tissues.
What-A-Deal runs from Oct. 20 to 26, and Winn-Dixie said these free items represent a savings of $14.76. The flu vaccination costs $23 for shoppers using their Customer Reward Card, a savings of $5 off the regular price.
"At Winn-Dixie, we strive to keep our customers healthy. This deal is our solution to protect people from the flu by offering a valuable incentive to get vaccinated," John Fegan, vice president of pharmacy at Winn-Dixie, said in a statement. "By getting vaccinated now and taking advantage of this great deal, customers not only save money in the short term, but they also save the future hassle of additional medical costs, doctor visits, missed work and other costs associated with the flu."
The supermarket chain reported that according to the World Health Organization, recent estimates place the cost of the flu season to the U.S. economy at $71 billion to $167 billion annually, including hospital and other health care costs as well as lost productivity.
Winn-Dixie said flu shots are available on a walk-in basis at all of its 379 pharmacies and will be administered by certified pharmacists. Overall, the company operates 485 supermarkets in Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, Georgia and Mississippi.
