Publix, Kroger, Costco, PetSmart among 'Most Trustworthy Companies in America'
A new survey recognizes companies based on the amount of trust they command among shoppers employees and investors.
Publix, WinCo Foods and The Kroger Co. took the top spots in the grocery/convenience store category in Newsweek’s “Most Trustworthy Companies in America” survey, which ranked 700 U.S. companies in 23 industries according to their evaluations by U.S. customers, employees and investors. In total, 3,100 U.S. companies were studied, with the 700 best-rated ones in all trust dimensions recognized as “most trustworthy. (For details on the methodology, see end of article.)
"As an employer, food processor, retailer, healthcare provider and more, Kroger has a unique responsibility to lead with purpose and create positive change," said Rodney McMullen, Kroger's chairman and CEO. "Being named one of the Most Trustworthy Companies is an honor we do not take for granted, and we will continue to work to earn our customers' trust every.”
The grocers and c-store operators earning the top marks for trustworthiness include the following, ranked in descending order:
- Publix Super Markets
- WinCo Foods
- The Kroger Co.
- Harris Teeter Supermarkets
- QuickTrip
- H-E-B
- Wawa
- Sheetz
- Brookshire’s Floral and Pharmacy
- The Fresh Market
- Hy-Vee
- Sprouts Farmers Market
- Wakefern Food Corp.
- Albertsons Cos.
- Southeastern Grocers
Retail Category
Amazon and Chewy took the two spots in the retail category, followed by Barnes & Noble Education, United Foods International and Costco. Ace Hardware came in sixth, followed by PetSmart, Petco, Harbor Freight and Tractor Supply. Target came in at No.14, and Walmart was No. 25. (The retail category had the largest number of winners with 61 companies making the list.)
For the complete Newsweek listing, click here.
According to Newsweek global editor Nancy Cooper, trust can be tough to attain, which was especially true during the last few challenging years. She cited a PwC survey showing that 87% of company leaders believe that people place a high level of trust in their companies, while polling of the actual consumer base found that figure is only 30%
Methodology
The Newsweek Most Trustworthy Companies in America 2023 list evaluates U.S.-based companies with $500 million or more in annual revenue. The list was developed in collaboration with Statista Inc. and based on an independent survey of approximately 25,000 U.S. residents, resulting in the top 700 companies across 23 industries. Residents were asked how much they agreed with statements like "I trust in this company to treat me fairly as its customer," "I believe this company offers good opportunities for career development" and "I believe this company would be a good long-term investment."
For each company that received a sufficient number of evaluations, a “social listening” analysis was conducted. This involved researching what was said about a company in various media segments of the internet and evaluating whether it was positive, neutral or negative. In total, over 270,000 mentions were gathered. Additionally, all companies that were involved in any recent scandals or lawsuits relevant to a dimension of trust were excluded from the analysis.
For more details, click here.