Insight

Most Trusted Companies in UK

Most Trusted Companies in UK

Lansons Communications and Opinium Research reveal the UK’s most trusted companies

  • Only half the UK population trust any companies
  • M&S tops poll of most trusted companies
  • Companies under mutual ownership fare well in trust rankings
  • Banks more trusted than expected
  • BP in top 30 most trusted

“However, the research shows that corporate Britain has a problem with trust” says Lansons Chief Executive Tony Langham.

17% of the population say they don’t trust any companies anymore, while 31% say trust is not really a feeling they have about companies? Unlike other research studies on this subject, the Lansons/ Opinium league table is based on just over half (52%) of people, who state they still trust a few companies, asking them to list the companies they still trusted.

While Great British brand Marks & Spencer tops the list, it seems ownership models have a part to play in the ranking. In the current crisis of capitalism the mutual ownership models of John Lewis and the Co-op fare well with the public, ranking them 2nd and 6th respectively- with Nationwide following in 16th.

There are 9 banks and building societies in the top 50 while BP features at number 30 in the table.

The survey suggests an intriguing explanation for the decline in trust in corporate Britain. Langham says: ?Over the last 20 years we can trace the roots of this loss of trust from excessive bonuses to pensions mis-selling and oil spills, but it may also be based on personal experience. According to Opinium only 34% say that the company they work for cares equally about its customers doing well as about its own profits, while 40% say their company cares more about its profits than its customers. The remaining 26% work in the state or not for profit sector. For many, therefore, experience at work sows seeds of distrust of other companies.

Please list the companies you would say you trust?*

  1. M&S
  2. John Lewis
  3. Tesco
  4. Boots
  5. Virgin
  6. Co-op
  7. Amazon
  8. Asda
  9. BT
  10. Apple
  11. Sainsbury’s
  12. Barclays
  13. BBC
  14. HSBC
  15. o2
  16. Nationwide
  17. British Gas
  18. Sony
  19. Lloyds TSB
  20. NatWest
  21. Sky
  22. Waitrose
  23. Morrisons
  24. Argos
  25. First Direct
  26. Halifax
  27. Microsoft
  28. Google
  29. Santander
  30. B&Q
  31. BP
  32. Ford
  33. NHS
  34. Samsung
  35. Coke
  36. Comet
  37. Lakeland
  38. Next
  39. Post Office
  40. RBS
  41. Scottish Power
  42. Aviva
  43. Debenhams
  44. EBay
  45. E-ON
  46. Lush
  47. Shell
  48. Vodafone
  49. BA
  50. IBM
  51. Orange
  52. Royal Mail
  53. Unilever

All reproductions of the table must credit source : Lansons Communications/Opinium Research
*BASE ? ALL Stated – There are still a few companies I trust = 1563

Lansons Communications is the UK’s third largest independent PR consultancy, employing over 100 staff and is currently the UK’s Best Large Agency ( Public Relations Consultants Association awards 2009 ). Lansons is a multi-specialist agency with award winning expertise in its four areas of excellence – Financial Services, Corporate (including Public Affairs & Regulatory Consulting), Brand & Consumer and Lansons Live. Lansons is a member of the PROI international network of 41 independent PR agencies, in 75 cities around the world. Lansons has been in business for over 20 years, founded in 1989 by its Chairman, Clare Parsons and Chief Executive, Tony Langham.