Why trust has become the ultimate currency in UK food and grocery retail

In an era of endless choice and information overload, shoppers are increasingly relying on one crucial factor to guide their purchasing decisions: trust. Recent consumer research [BrandSpark] reveals that 80% of shoppers consider trust important when making purchase decisions, fundamentally reshaping how brands compete in the food, beverage and grocery sectors.

What’s more, trust operates differently from traditional brand awareness. Consumers may recognise dozens of brands in any given category but actively trust far fewer. That distinction matters: the BrandSpark research shows shoppers are willing to pay an average of 15% more for brands they trust most, even when lower-priced alternatives are within reach.

In food and beverage, in particular, this trust premium is especially powerful. When shoppers are deciding what goes into their bodies and onto their families’ plates, trust becomes less of a ‘nice-to-have’ and more of a decision shortcut.

Top 5 brands with standout trust

Newsweek and BrandSpark International have announced the 4^th annual list of the Most Trusted Brands in the UK as voted for 100% by UK shoppers.

These are the top five brands in the food and beverage categories with the highest trust shares. These brands are more than just market leaders; they’ve become synonymous with trust in their respective categories.

_{Source: BrandSpark® UK Trust Study}

Grocery retail: when value and trust reinforce each other

Trust isn’t only about premium positioning; it’s also about reliably delivering on a brand promise. In grocery retail, the trust/value relationship is especially visible: when shoppers believe a retailer consistently offers genuine value (not just occasional deals), affordability also becomes a form of trust.

That dynamic shows up clearly in discount retail, where shoppers trust in Aldi to deliver affordability reflects confidence that value will be consistent, not occasional.

In today’s environment – where households are balancing budgets while still expecting quality – retailers that combine predictability with value can earn loyalty that outlasts short-term promotions.

Trust across the aisle

The 2026 Newsweek / BrandSpark Most Trusted® Awards are based on a nationally representative online survey of 20,041 UK shoppers, encompassing over 104,000 brand evaluations across 166 categories*.

The Awards survey reveals which brands have successfully earned consumer confidence and offers valuable insights for anyone working in the grocery industry as to how consumers award trust.

Food & Beverage: 2026 Newsweek/BrandSpark Most Trusted® Brand Winners

_{Source: BrandSpark® UK Trust Study}

_{To explore the complete rankings and discover all 166 Most Trusted Brand category winners, visit: https://rankings.newsweek.com/most-trusted-brands-uk-2026}

The 2026 winners highlight a number of consistent patterns in how UK shoppers award trust:

1. Trust concentrates in ‘proof’ categories

Everyday staples remain trust strongholds – Kellogg’s in cereal, Cathedral City in cheese, and Richmond in sausages – where consistency is easy to judge and shoppers tend to stick with what reliably delivers week after week.

2. The ‘halo effect’ is real

Heinz tops baked beans, canned vegetables, and ketchup, showing how trust earned in one aisle can carry into another. When a brand repeatedly meets expectations, shoppers often extend that confidence to adjacent products – making line extensions feel like a lower-risk choice.

3. Consistency wins in frozen

In frozen, reliability is everything: Birds Eye leads frozen breaded chicken products, frozen fish, and frozen vegetables, while McCain wins frozen potato products. These categories reward predictable outcomes – taste, texture, and “it turns out the same every time”.

4. Trust is evolving alongside health and convenience

In ‘better-for-you’ and on-the-go categories, trust is increasingly tied to fit-for-purpose performance and clarity. Shoppers are showing confidence in brands like Arla Protein (high protein yogurt), Arla (protein pudding), Grenade (protein bar), and Huel/Myprotein (tied for protein shake). Meanwhile, convenience-led health choices stand out through Ella’s Kitchen (snack pouches) and Nākd (fruit bar) – brands often associated with ingredient transparency and lifestyle alignment.

5. Trust isn’t limited to manufacturers

Retailer brands can also earn leadership when execution is strong. Tesco wins both pasta and salad kits, suggesting that when quality feels consistent and the value exchange is clear, own-brand trust can scale quickly.

6. Heritage plus everyday usefulness still matters

Several winners reinforce the staying power of familiar, repeat-purchase cues: Quaker (porridge oats), Jordans (granola), Tropicana (fruit juice), Filippo Berio (olive oil), Schwartz (seasoning & spices), and Heineken 0.0 (non-alcoholic beer). In these categories, trust often reflects a brand’s ability to show up reliably in routines – breakfast, cooking, packed lunches and social occasions.

Building trust in the future

As consumer choice continues expanding and market uncertainty persists, trust will only grow more valuable as a competitive differentiator. The brands that succeed repeatedly aren’t simply those with the biggest marketing budgets or the lowest prices – they’re the ones that consistently deliver on their promises, year after year, purchase after purchase.

For grocery marketers and retailers, the evidence is clear: building trust requires long-term commitment, consistent quality, and authentic brand behaviour. But the payoff – customer loyalty, pricing power, and resilience during market disruptions – makes trust the ultimate strategic asset in modern food and grocery retail.

To learn more about brand trust and the Most Trusted Awards program visit BrandSparkMostTrusted.com

For licensing or more information about the event contact Megan Rybko on MRybko@BrandSpark.com

^{*The BrandSpark survey is 100% consumer-voted, and category shoppers provide their top-of-mind unaided responses about the brands they trust most.}