Do you shop here? Australia’s top 10 most trusted brands revealed

New findings have revealed the 10 big name brands that Australian consumers trust the most, from well-known supermarkets and hardware stores, to airlines and broadcasting corporations.

The annual Roy Morgan Net Trust Score survey highlights the brands that everyday Aussies feel most comfortable spending their hard-earning dollars with. The results are based on more than 1,000 interviews with Australians, aged 14 and over, with respondents asked to name which brands they trust and distrust, giving explanations as to why they view them that way.

This year is was hardware giant Bunnings Warehouse which emerged victorious, being named the most trusted brand in the country for 2018-19. Bunnings, which took second spot in last year’s survey, is one of the country’s most iconic names, loved among Aussies for its sausage sizzles and impressive range of stock.

Second place in the survey went to cut-price supermarket Aldi, which fell one spot having been named the most trusted brand in 2017-18. Third place went to Woolworths, with the ranking being particularly of note for the popular supermarket as Woolies failed to even make the top 10 last year, showing a marked improvement in consumer attitude towards the chain.

In fourth place was insurer NRMA while the ABC narrowly made it into the top five. Supermarket giant Coles bagged sixth position followed by Australian airline QANTAS in seventh. Rounding out the top 10 were car manufacturer Toyota which came in at number eight, discount retailer Kmart was in ninth and Bendigo & Adelaide Bank bagged 10th place.

Not only did Bendigo & Adelaide Bank make it into the top 10 though, they also beat out other larger and more well-known banks across the country to secure the title of most trusted financial institution.

Following the publication of the results this week, Roy Morgan CEO Michele Levine explained the important role that trust plays in the success of a business, saying: “The significant research program we began in 2017 has revealed that while trust is an essential ingredient in any functional relationship, be it person-to-person or brand-to-customer, it cannot shield against the corrosive effects of distrust.

“To really come to grips with this it’s important to understand that distrust is not uncertainty about whether to trust, nor is it an absence of trust. It is something separate, something much darker and more damaging. The key message for business is that distrust is a major risk factor which must be monitored because it leads to customer churn, loss of market share, and a plummeting share price.”

The survey also outlined the industries which are most trusted by consumers, with supermarkets, travel companies and high street retailers emerging as the most trustworthy. Pubs and restaurants also retained public favour, along with charities and transport companies.

While other industries fell foul of public opinion with telecommunications firms, mining and petroleum companies and banks – perhaps unsurprisingly following the royal commission – faring the worst. The government also emerged as  being more ‘distrusted than trusted’, along with the media and pokies.