When people ask money expert Clark Howard how to save money on groceries, Aldi is the first thing that comes out of his mouth!
The no-frills supermarket chain is tops when it comes to retailers that can cut your food bill in half, but it also ranks high for customer satisfaction, according to the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI).
Overall, customer satisfaction with supermarkets increased 1.3% last year to 79 on a 100-point scale, with many food retailers making gains.
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New report ranks America’s best grocery stores
Although Aldi was near the top of the list, the study found that Publix took the #1 spot with an ACSI score of 86. The retailer puts an emphasis on customer service and uses the slogan "Where shopping is a pleasure."
Trader Joe’s ranked second for customer satisfaction with an 85, followed by Aldi and Wegmans, which tied for third among grocers at 84.
The study points out that the score for Whole Foods is unchanged at 81, so it’s too early to tell at this point if the supermarket’s acquisition by Amazon in late 2017 is having an effect.
However, the ACSI report said the threat of competition from Amazon is forcing its competitors to step up their offerings.
“Amazon is nearly inescapable in retail right now, as the e-commerce giant makes moves into grocery stores and pharmacies, expanding its footprint into multiple retail industries,” said David VanAmburg, Managing Director at ACSI. “The surge in customer satisfaction seen in some supermarkets and health and personal care stores shows how companies are focusing on customer satisfaction as one way to ward off Amazon’s push into new retail industries.”
Waiting in line at the checkout remains the most frustrating part of grocery shopping for Americans, the study found. But grocers are receiving high marks in areas like convenience, food quality and variety of merchandise.
Take a look below at ACSI’s grocery store rankings, from best to worst:
Source: ACSI
The annual ACSI Retail Report was based on 50,186 customer surveys collected throughout 2017. You can download a copy of the full report on the group's website if you're interested.
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