Survey: Americans Trust Supermarkets
CHICAGO - While trust seems to be eroding across numerous business sectors in America, supermarkets rated highest in the latest Golin/Harris Trust survey, which identifies and compares both the degree and direction of trust across more than 25 different business sectors.
In the survey, a positive score indicates a strong trust profile, while a negative index number signals trust challenges that should be addressed immediately, conscientiously and consistently, according to Golin/Harris. Supermarkets and grocery stores scored a positive 40. The retail sector wasn't far behind, with a score of positive 36. Only five sectors had positive scores.
Some of the most negative scores went to oil and gas (negative 63), insurance (negative 59) and brokerage/Wall Street (negative 58).
By a margin of seven to one, survey respondents said that "recent economic events have created a crisis of confidence and trust in the way we do business in America," and as a result, they're "going to hold business to a higher standard in their behavior and communications," according to the company.
"When more than two-thirds of Americans express this level of skepticism and cynicism, American business has a serious problem that goes beyond the 'Enron factor,'" said Richard Jernstedt, CEO, Golin/Harris International.
The Golin/Harris Trust survey was conducted during the first week of February 2002 by NFO WorldGroup, a consumer and business-to-business opinion and market research firm. More than 700 Americans were surveyed in the national study, yielding a confidence factor of 95 to 96 percent.
In the survey, a positive score indicates a strong trust profile, while a negative index number signals trust challenges that should be addressed immediately, conscientiously and consistently, according to Golin/Harris. Supermarkets and grocery stores scored a positive 40. The retail sector wasn't far behind, with a score of positive 36. Only five sectors had positive scores.
Some of the most negative scores went to oil and gas (negative 63), insurance (negative 59) and brokerage/Wall Street (negative 58).
By a margin of seven to one, survey respondents said that "recent economic events have created a crisis of confidence and trust in the way we do business in America," and as a result, they're "going to hold business to a higher standard in their behavior and communications," according to the company.
"When more than two-thirds of Americans express this level of skepticism and cynicism, American business has a serious problem that goes beyond the 'Enron factor,'" said Richard Jernstedt, CEO, Golin/Harris International.
The Golin/Harris Trust survey was conducted during the first week of February 2002 by NFO WorldGroup, a consumer and business-to-business opinion and market research firm. More than 700 Americans were surveyed in the national study, yielding a confidence factor of 95 to 96 percent.