The ACSI has released it’s annual survey of supermarkets. Its results are a reflection of the economy. But there are a couple of chains whose declines on the list may surprise some observers…
Trader Joe’s re-took top spot in the ASCI annual consumer satisfaction ratings
for supermarkets with an 85 percent score in the 2025 report…
In these times of high food prices, it makes sense that the Top 10 supermarkets on the 2025 fav-ourites list are known far and wide as ‘discount’ outlets…
Who’s who?
The latest official American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) ranking of supermarkets shows a few of the players increasing or decreasing a smidge in popularity. But the overall picture remains very much the same as it did last year…
Satisfaction Benchmarks (%) by Company
| COMPANIES | 79 | 79 | 0%) |
| Publix | 85 | 84 | -1% |
| Trader Joe’s | 84 | 84 | 0% |
| Sam’s Club (Walmart) | 83 | 83 | 0% |
| Wegmans | 82 | 83 | 1% |
| H-E-B | 85 | 82 | -4% |
| Whole Foods (Amazon) | 82 | 82 | 0% |
| Aldi | 81 | 81 | 0% |
| Costco | 85 | 81 | -5% |
| ShopRite | 80 | 80 | 0% |
| Target | 82 | 80 | -2% |
Tied at the top…
After a little shuffling , Trader Joe’s and Publix floated to the top of the list, tieing at number 1.
According to a Food & Wine review, “[Trader Joe’s] This budget-minded retailer apparently has it all — at least, in the court of public opinion.” F&M also noted, TJ’s, “enjoyed a several-year winning streak before it was broken in 2024.”
Churning in the middle…
Most notably, COSTCO dropped by 5 percent in customer satisfaction over 2024. That reflects some of the security protocol changes that have taken place there, some pending changes (including crack-downs on membership privileges, and a perceived threat to the legendary $1.50 Hot Dog Deal) as well as a recent increase in the most popular category of membership fee.
H-E-B dropped 4 percent in customer satisfaction over 2024, when it tied with COSTCO for number 1 spot on the list. One reason may be that the company has lagged behind the competition in devel-opment of an online presence. However, it’s announced it is, “is expanding its digital reach with a recently opened e-commerce fulfillment center in Houston.”
In addition, Target dropped 2 percent in consumer satisfaction over last year. According to the ACSI report, “Amid rising inflation last year, [Target] promised to cut prices on 5,000 grocery items and ‘common’ non-perishables to ease customers’ costs. Recently, though, it faced [customer] pushback after announcing it would scale back diversity, equity, and inclusion [DEI] efforts.” That move came as the new Trump administration made it clear that it did not support existing public or private-sector DEI efforts or legislation.
My take
2024 was undeniably a troubled year for the supermarket industry. And it shows in the latest con-sumer satisfaction ratings.
But I wonder just how many folks felt moved enough to switch go-to supermarkets. Humans, after all, are creatures of habit and have proven over millennia that they would rather stick to the comfortable rut rather than change tracks in their journey down the ‘Oregon Trail’ of life.
Specifically, I think that no matter how discontented faithful COSTCO shoppers may feel, it’s unlikely they’ll switch allegiances. Not after agreeing to pay record high membership fees in spite of wide-spread grumbling…
~ Maggie J.