Walmart, Kroger among retailers named by BrandSpark as most trusted in 2022

Marketing research firm BrandSpark International teamed up with Newsweek and Winsight Grocery Business to announce its 5th Annual Most Trusted Grocery Retailers in America list, with H-E-B, Walmart, Kroger, Publix and ShopRite earning the top five spots in the most trusted private label products category.

BrandSpark surveyed 10,082 Americans in the BrandSpark American Grocery Trust Study to capture the opinions of grocery shoppers across the country. The survey was divided by region, format and product category to give a comprehensive view of what Americans think at a time when high prices are impacting shopping decisions.

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“As inflation continues to hit grocery categories heavily, conventional stores with strong private label offerings are going to be popular with consumers because they can meet their needs in terms of price and effective options,” said Philip Scrutton, vice president of shopper insights at BrandSpark International. “We are already seeing retailers like Walmart and Aldi performing very well nationally. Both brands not only have an extremely strong presence but offer consumers attractive private label options offering greater value than national brands, which is very attractive to consumers who will continue to see their grocery budgets being stretched.”

In addition to a strong performance in the private label category, H-E-B, ShopRite and Kroger all received high praise for their fresh produce, as well as having their ad circulars deemed “most valuable.” Aldi, H-E-B and Walmart claimed the top spots for affordability, and H-E-B also received the most praise for its quality of fresh food and in-store experience.

The BrandSpark report also found that bulk stores and dollar chains improved trust with shoppers as inflation pushed consumers to buy at different formats.

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“Trust plays an integral role in the decision of where to shop, especially during these challenging inflationary times,” said Adam Bellisario, AVP BrandSpark Most Trusted Awards. “There is a risk that if customers switch retailers now they may not return even when cost of living pressures ease. This is an important moment for retailers to build trust with shoppers, and they can do so by communicating why they are trusted and how they plan to help Americans through this.”

The full list can be found here.

This story originally appeared on Store Brands.