Inflation might have shoppers searching for the cheapest store to score groceries, but the stores with the lowest prices might not necessarily be the most trustworthy. Market research firm BrandSpark surveyed 10,000 U.S. consumers online to find out which grocery stores they trusted the most, assessing 57 grocery and retail categories. Shoppers selected their most-trusted overall retailer and also chose which grocers were most trusted in terms of specific attributes. The final ranking was determined by which grocers earned the highest share of “most-trusted” designations. Cheapism sifted through the findings to highlight the 10 most-trusted overall food retailers, which include regional rankings.
Related: Frugal Shoppers Share Their Favorite Low-Cost Grocery Stores
1. Walmart
Perhaps its title as the world’s largest retailer makes shoppers feel like they can trust Walmart. The retailer has apparently figured out the magic formula to gain shoppers’ loyalty, scoring No. 1 overall in every region polled by BrandSpark. Walmart also has the top spot when it comes to factors like affordability, curbside pickup services, and home goods.
Related: Hacks and Secrets for Shopping at Walmart
2. Kroger
Shoppers praise Kroger for having the most valuable circular and the best loyalty rewards program, but it takes more than good ads and flashy loyalty benefits to snatch the most-trustworthy title from the behemoth that is Walmart.
Related: Secrets for Shopping at Kroger
3. Aldi
Aldi has surged in popularity in recent years. With stores a fraction of the size of the average Walmart, Aldi holds the top spot for the most trustworthy small-format grocery store, and it’s also the most trusted discount grocer.
4. Costco
What’s not to trust about $5 rotisserie chickens and “forever”-$1.50 hot dog combos at the Costco food court? The wholesale giant has a loyal fanbase for a reason: Shoppers trust it.
5. Publix
You wouldn’t trust a grocery store with dust-coated products on the shelves or filthy floors, would you? Publix ranks No. 1 for store cleanliness, which is one of the driving factors behind its overall trustworthiness. To top it off, shoppers consider Publix’s in-store deli their prime choice.
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6. H-E-B Grocery
San Antonio-based H-E-B Grocery proved to be stalwart in the hearts of shoppers, keeping up with the biggest names in the grocery world. H-E-B nabbed many No. 1 most-trusted rankings for attributes that included valuable coupons, easy checkout experience, great promotions, friendly staff, and store organization. Plus, when it comes to fresh food, H-E-B is the clear champ with the top spots for fresh meat, seafood, produce, and prepared meals.
7. Sam’s Club
Wholesale clubs are, by design, inherently trustworthy. Think about it: You sign up and pay fees to become a member and shop in a store that is open only to those who belong to the club. Though Walmart-owned Sam’s trails behind Costco, it still falls among the most-trusted retailers.
8. Safeway
It makes sense to trust a grocery store with “safe” in its name. Even though Safeway only has about a third of the number of stores as Walmart does, it’s still a fan favorite among shoppers.
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9. Trader Joe’s
If “cultlike following” was one of the attributes used to determine grocer’s trustworthiness, we’re certain Trader Joe’s would nab the No. 1 spot. Alas, the category doesn’t exist in this survey, landing TJ’s at No. 9.
10. Meijer
Meijer is most trusted in the Midwest, where it ranks as the fourth most-trusted grocery store.
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