UNITED STATES – Across the country, and on a daily basis, retailers are vying to be America’s favorite grocery stores. The results for 2017 are in, according to customer insight firm Market Force Information.
In the company’s U.S. Grocery: Consumer Experience and Competitive Benchmarks survey of 12,774 consumers, three retailers distanced themselves from the pack and distinguished themselves as America’s favorites.
In second place and third-listed retailer, longtime favorite Trader Joe’s scored a 75.6 percent composite loyalty index score. In a virtual tie for first, though, Wegmans and Publix scored 77 and 77.4 percent, respectively.
Publix ascendancy marks a noticeable improvement from last year’s survey, when the company scored only 76 percent. Wegmans narrowly edged the retailer out in 2016 with a 76 percent score. Prior to 2016, Trader Joe’s had held top honors for four years.
Rounding out the top five were H-E-B and ALDI, followed by Harris Teeter, Hy-Vee, Costco, WinCo, and Whole Foods, respectively.
The survey noted that, while 48% of respondents were reportedly “very satisfied” with their last grocery experience, one in ten surveyed reported a level of dissatisfaction. Market Force also added that, in this competitive retail climate, “it’s not okay just to be okay!” Customers who were reportedly “very satisfied” with their experience were more than twice as likely as those who expressed a more moderate degree of satisfaction to recommend their grocer.
Market Force also noted that use of “Click and Collect” online ordering has more than doubled, with 8.9 percent of those surveyed having used the service at least once and 58% of those respondents being repeat uses.
Surveyed consumers were high on organic products, the study noted—particularly produce. Roughly half of consumers said they preferred organic options when given the choice, and 93 percent of those surveyed had purchased organic produce in the last 30 days.
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