LAKELAND, Fla. — Publix announced that its initiatives to reduce the use of paper and plastic grocery bags used at checkout have paid off.

The company said that as of May 10, the number of bags saved since mid 2007 surpassed the 2 billion mark.

"At Publix, we are fortunate to have customers and associates who are committed to sustaining our environment," said Maria Brous, Publix director of media and community relations. "That's why we focus on the responsible use of environmental resources, and offering our customers and associates options when choosing paper, plastic or reusable bags."

Publix, which has offered in-store recycling of paper and plastic bags since the mid-1970s and introduced its first 99 cent reusable bags in mid-2007, has sold more than 21 million reusable bags at its stores. Last year, Publix's overall recycling rate was 49%. To learn more about the company’s sustainability efforts, or to view a copy of Publix’s 2010 corporate sustainability report, visit click here.