Thank you to the honest onlooker for telling the truth.
She probably hates “express lane” cheaters as much as everybody else.
One of the interesting things we have learned from this saga is that Publix does not enforce the express lane item limit. They rely on the social contract to cause people to self- enforce the express lane rule, and you can see how well that works with selfish dolts like Erica Thomas.
It wouldn't take much programming to have the register sound an alarm when the eleventh item is scanned on a ten item lane. Bring back some public shaming.
And while we're at it, have a food stamp only line with the slowest trainee clerk ringing them up. Every time a luxury item is rung up, have the clerk ask for a price check: "Price check on lobster in the welfare line. Price check on prime porterhouse steak."