Which Grocers Earn High Marks for Trust?
In the thick of the holiday season, Market Force Information has shared results of a survey revealing consumer loyalty trends in the grocery and warehouse club channels. The results underscore the importance of efforts to reward shopper loyalty, with consumers expressing a range of preferences and behaviors.
For example, although 81% of survey respondents say they are not considering shopping at a different grocery store, a majority (55.96%) are not satisfied with their current grocer’s loyalty program. In addition, external macroeconomic factors are influencing decisions, as shoppers overwhelmingly point to pricing and value as the top factors that could propel them to shop more frequently at a particular brand.
[RELATED: The Keys to Customer Loyalty]
Market Force’s data showed some retailers are earning high marks from their customers in terms of trust. H-E-B came in first in the survey’s Customer Loyalty Index, followed closely by Wegmans and Trader Joe’s. Another measure of loyalty is the perception of trusted brands, and this year, Lidl, Sam’s Club, Hannaford, Costco and Trader Joe’s were the top-ranked banners.
The survey also shared the grocers who are dominating wallet share. H-E-B was again tops, followed by Hy-Vee, Publix Super Markets, Market Basket and King Soopers.
Where does Walmart stand in this feedback? The big player is the leading primary grocer and took the lead as a secondary or tertiary grocer. The Kroger Co. came in second and ALDI took the third spot in the rankings of primary grocers. “While Walmart dominates the market, its success isn't driven by customer satisfaction or trust — it ranks last in both measures. Instead, its expansive store network and unbeatable value offerings make it a go-to choice for budget-conscious families,” the analysts wrote in their recap.
In the warehouse sector, Costco leads other chains, but Sam’s Club and BJ’s are gaining ground, Market Force reported.
Based in Atlanta, Market Force Information is a customer experience company specializing in solutions to enhance customer experience for businesses through a variety of digital and onsite customer experience services.
