What Does Being a 'Trustworthy' Company or Brand Actually Mean in Retail?
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Via its most recent ranking in the form of a "Most Trustworthy Companies in America 2026" report, Newsweek provided a gargantuan list of trusted -- at least according to 25,000 U.S. consumers polled -- companies across a variety of industries, including retail.
In remarks attached to the report, editor-in-chief of Newsweek, Jennifer Cunningham, underscored the importance of trust in a highly volatile world.
"In an era defined by a profound crisis of grievance, a corporation’s integrity is no longer a marketing luxury—it is its most volatile and valuable currency. True leadership requires more than just high-level strategies; it demands a radical, lived transparency that bridges the chasm between executive perception and the lived reality of the consumer," Cunningham said.
The retail rankings provided were outlined as follows.
- Chewy
- Costco
- Amazon
- Academy Sports and Outdoors
- The Home Depot
- Tractor Supply
- Lowe's
- Ace Hardware
- Barnes & Noble
- Ulta Beauty
- Kirkland's
- L.L.Bean
- Cabela's
- Bass Pro Shops
- PetSmart
- Walmart
- Harbor Freight
- BJ's Wholesale Club
- Belk
- Michaels
Followed by Hobby Lobby, Menards, Best Buy, Dick's Sporting Goods, and Brookshire Brothers rounding out the top 25. Notable entries near the bottom of the list were QVC (at No. 55), The Container Store (at No. 58), Ollie's Bargain Outlet (at No. 59), Burlington Stores (at No. 60), and Neiman Marcus (taking the last spot, in 64th place).
A relatively recent SAP report collated data from various sources -- including Deloitte and Gallup -- to suggest a few arguments tied to consumer trust in today's retail environment: that younger generations were more demanding of retailers, particularly around sustainability and social standards; that trust definitively erodes with data breaches or mishandling of customer data; that shoppers are finding it easier to swap loyalties given the proliferation of online shopping; and that social media platforms serve as a venting ground for dissatisfied customers.
SAP's report suggested a three-part solution of sorts: the ability to demonstrate capability and reliability to customers when things get tough or problems rear their head; the appointment of a chief trust officer to be empowered with (and responsible for) handling all tasking related to ensuring fulfillment of the brand's customer promise; and the centrality of transparency and disclosure when it comes to operating principles and methods, sharing information whenever appropriate.
Newsweek's List of Trusted Companies Draws Some Criticism on Social Media
A few critics of Newsweek's list appeared in comments attached to Newsweek CEO Dev Pragad's sharing of the report. One commenter by the name of Jeon critiqued the list as an assortment of business "giants" which created a structural wall of gatekeepers, asking "Are we fostering genuine transparency, or simply certifying a 'Senate of Corporations' to dictate the future standards?"
A second commenter added a more moderate critique, asking a question as well. "Can trust really be measured… or just approximated through surveys and perception? Because real trust shows up in behavior, especially when things go wrong," AJ Berman, CEO of ShareEcard, wrote.