Today, in partnership with Newsweek magazine, BrandSpark International announced a special edition of its BrandSpark Most Trusted Awards (BMTAs) highlighting the most trusted grocery stores as voted by American shoppers. BrandSpark surveyed 3,200 Americans to capture their real opinions of what Grocery Store brands they trust the most. Trust leaders were identified in 32 categories, including the Top 5 grocery retailers nationally and in four major regions, by store format, and across 22 attributes that drive trust. Knowing which grocers other Americans trust can help you navigate the options during this busiest grocery shopping time of the year.
Have you ever thought about why you frequent a particular grocery store? Americans rely on grocery stores for many of their most essential household purchases, so shopping a trusted store is important. Where you buy your groceries will be impacted by factors including selection, customer service, and price. What may not be obvious is how these factors contribute to deliver on your needs and keep you coming back. Keeping consumers coming back means building trust. “When grocers prioritize trust building, they create a win-win for themselves and consumers”, said Adam Bellisario, Associate Vice-President, BrandSpark. “Trust building requires you to identify your strengths and weaknesses on key drivers, put an action plan in place to increase trust, and then measure the results”, said Bellisario.
“Shoppers want their grocery trips to be convenient and efficient, especially during the pandemic and this busy holiday season. This means easily finding the quality items they expect at great-to-fair prices. Great grocers are trusted to fulfill this time after time and across channels, while the best add exceptional service or unexpected value”, said Philip Scrutton, VP Shopper Insights, BrandSpark.
The Grocery Retailers threatening Walmart
The dominant grocer in the study was Walmart, taking fifteen #1 rankings and proving their promises of everyday low prices and one-stop-shopping convenience continue to resonate with shoppers. Yet many other grocers have proven that they can compete with the leader and have secured greater trust with their shoppers in specific areas. H-E-B achieved #1 ranking for Easy Checkout Experience and Enjoyable In-store Experience, along with top 3 ranking on 8 important attributes. These strengths support H-E-B’s leading level of trust and loyalty among their own shoppers. Another notable grocer is ALDI which was ranked #1 nationally as the most trusted for Discount Grocery and most trusted Small Format Grocery Store. Shoppers are seeking affordable options and uncomplicated trips where they get great value and ALDI delivers on this. The one grocer that ranked #1 regionally as most trusted besides Walmart was ShopRite in the Northeast.
The winners and how they are determined
The 2022 BrandSpark Most Trusted Awards winners are listed below. 3200 American shoppers determined the BrandSpark Most Trusted Awards winners and results are ranked based on the greatest volume of mentions. The brand(s) voted most trusted is listed as Rank #1 and any brand Ranked 1-5 is considered a “Top 5 Trust Leader” having garnered a significant trust share in the category. The grocery retailers nationally and by region and the attributes results are based on selection from a comprehensive list of 52 retailers nationally. The Most Trusted results by store format are based on top-of-mind unaided responses.
