Trader Joe's is no longer America's favorite grocery retailer, according to a survey of more than 10,000 consumers by Market Force Information. After four years as being named the nation's favorite, Trader Joe's fell to third in annual research as Wegmans topped the list followed in second by Publix.
There is only minor ranking distinction, however, between leaders in the Market Force study. Seventy-six percent said they would recommend Wegmans to others followed by 75 percent for Publix and 73 percent for Trader Joe's. Others in the top five include Hy-Vee (68 percent) and Aldi (65 percent). Walmart is ranked lowest at 29 percent.
A number of factors go into what makes a particular retailer a favorite among consumers. According to Market Force, Wegmans and Publix were consistently high across both operational and service points of evaluation. The two chains stood out when it came to store cleanliness, being able to find desired items and specialty departments. Trader Joe's was the winner when it came to friendly cashiers.
Aldi, to no one's surprise, was seen as offering the lowest prices followed by WinCo (54 percent would recommend) and Costco (60 percent).
Prepared foods are becoming more important, according to Market Force, as consumers seek ways to make their lives more convenient. Two-thirds of respondents said they purchased some form of prepared food in the previous 30 days, with 19 percent doing so once a week and eight percent twice a week.
While grocers are putting greater emphasis on online ordering with either home delivery or in-store pickup, 99 percent of those surveyed still shop the old fashioned way. Of those that used click and collect services, 73 percent were satisfied with the experience and nearly half are repeat users.