Trader Joe’s Is Officially the Most Trustworthy Brand in America

Trader Joe’s has gained a loyal following over the years. Its unique selection, high-quality products, and competitive prices are only a few of the reasons why shoppers keep coming back to the national grocery store chain. It’s so beloved that a recent survey of thousands of Americans just named Trader Joe’s the most trustworthy brand in 2025.

1. The 10 Brands With the Best Reputation

For the latest Axios Harris Poll, researchers sent an online survey to 16,000 adults asking about the reputations of popular brands they knew. Criteria such as ethics, products and services, and character were used to judge each company. Brands received a numerical score up to 100, with scores over 80 being labeled “Excellent” and anything under 60 falling under the “Very Poor” category. You can view the full ranking of the 100 most visible brands in America here.

Of the 100 brands, Trader Joe’s came out on top, scoring 82.1. The last time the grocer ranked first place in the survey was in 2022, when it received a slightly higher score of 82.4. The store saw a noticeable drop in 2023 when it placed fourth on Axios’s annual list, and an even steeper downgrade the following year when it ranked 13th. Tasting Table mentions that Trader Joe’s loss of public trust could be attributed to its multiple salmonella recalls last year, which impacted numerous items such as nuts and produce. There were also reports of some products containing plastic and possible links to listeria and E. coli contamination.  

Since then, Trader Joe’s has regained enough goodwill to reclaim its No.1 spot—but just barely. It beat the second-place brand, Patagonia, by a .1 margin. Meanwhile, the technology conglomerate Microsoft was named the third-most trustworthy brand in America. The rest of the top 10 is listed below.

The 10 Brands With the Best Reputation

1. Trader Joe’s
   
2. Patagonia
   
3. Microsoft
   
4. Toyota Motor Corportation
   
5. Costco
   
6. Samsung
   
7. Arizona Beverage Company
   
8. Nvidia
   
9. UPS
   
10. Apple

If you’re curious to see which products win the hearts and stomachs of Trader Joe’s fans, check out the winners of the chain’s 2025 Customer Choice Awards here.

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