BrandSpark Lists 2018’s Most Trusted Brands In The U.S.

Last updated on June 13th, 2024

Market research firm BrandSpark International has announced the winners of its 2018 BrandSpark Most Trusted Awards for CPG brands in the U.S. (See list below.) More than 15,000 household shoppers participated in the online survey and determined America’s most trusted brands in food & beverage, personal care & beauty, household & pets and over-the-counter health. Now in its fifth year, the research-based awards program operates independently from media, with winners exclusively determined by the unaided responses of shoppers in the BrandSpark American Shopper Study.

Trust drives purchase decisions

“Building a strong foundation of consumer trust is critical today when consumers have more choices available than ever before,” said Robert Levy, president and CEO of BrandSpark International. “The top CPG brands establish trust by repeatedly meeting consumer expectations with great product experiences. The very best of these brands further elevate this trust with meaningful innovation while maintaining strong value and consistent quality. While trust in the brand is anchored in personal experience, it is increased by transparency, fair pricing and the endorsement of other consumers. Establishing trust is also important for brands that want to innovate, as our study shows that 71 percent of shoppers try new products from brands they trust the most.”

What drives brand trust?

The BrandSpark study shows that it is important for a brand to respond quickly to serious issues, with 95 percent saying it increases their trust. Transparency also is key to building trust, with 95 percent agreeing that brands which provide consumers with detailed information about their product or service earn their trust, and 86 percent saying their trust in the brand increases when they see unfiltered customer reviews online. Finally, pricing influences trust as much as product or service quality, with brands that offer consistent and competitive pricing more likely to be perceived as fair and respectful of their customers (increases trust for 91 percent).

Brands communicate award wins

The BrandSpark Most Trusted seal allows brands to communicate the trust they have earned from shoppers. Leading brands, such as Cascade and Eggland’s Best, have used the winner’s seal in PR and marketing. The BrandSpark Most Trusted Awards winner logo allows brands to clearly communicate the significant trust connection they have built with shoppers. 

“Eggland’s Best is very proud to be recognized as America’s Most Trusted egg brand for four years in a row,” said David Holdsworth, VP of marketing at Eggland’s Best. “We let consumers know by including the BrandSpark Most Trusted purple logo on millions of our egg cartons nationally.”

Shoppers say that when they aren’t familiar with a brand or product, they look to endorsements from other consumers. Positive endorsement in the form of awards is also very impactful with 85 percent of American shoppers saying their trust in a brand increases if it has won awards based on consumer feedback.

How winners are determined

More than 15,000 American shoppers determined the BrandSpark Most Trusted Awards winners for 2018 through their top-of-mind unaided responses for categories in which they purchase. The results are ranked based on the greatest volume of mentions (ties are declared if the margin of victory is within 2 percent). The questions were included in the annual BrandSpark American Shopper Study.

BrandSpark also conducts the Most Trusted Awards annually in Canada and has expanded to include service, retail and e-commerce brands across North America. To see all of the winners, visit BrandsparkMostTrusted.com.