Take one look at the headlines, and it’s easy to see that trust can be somewhat hard to come by these days. In the U.S. and abroad, government, media, business and even non-profits are all facing a skeptical public. The upside? There’s significant opportunity for retailers who can build trust. While price is top of mind for today’s shoppers, trust is actually an important consideration – which contributes to consumers’ perception of overall value and helps determine who they choose to buy from.
An Erosion of Trust
For 25 years, the Edelman Trust Barometer has measured global perceptions of government, business, media and non-government organizations (NGOs). NGOs were the most trusted institution in the original survey, but during the COVID-19 pandemic, business tied, then surpassed NGOs.
While business is still the most trusted in 2025’s 28-country survey (62%), that trust level declined 1% from 2024. NGOs rank second at 58%, while government and media tie at 52%.
The Link Between Trust and Sales
Yet there’s a significant difference between perceptions of business as an institution – and the brands that people choose to buy from. That is, when a consumer feels a high level of trust in a brand, they’re much more likely to make a purchase from them.
In a separate report* that links respondents’ trust in the brands they buy from, Edelman found that 80% of people say they trust these brands. (*This report includes data from 15 countries, so the corresponding trust level for business as an institution is 65% here.)
And while so many consumers are focused on price these days, a new survey from Deloitte finds that value and price are actually entwined. “10-40% of perceived value comes from brands executing to provide something extra, including three things MVPs (companies that offer ‘more value for the price’) offer better than others: quality, attitude and trust,” according to the report.
How Retailers Can Build Trust
“Brands with consistency-based trust provide a predictable experience with minimal changes,” says Katie Thomas, lead, Kearney Consumer Institute. “They avoid potential ‘trustbusters’ like shrinkflation, price increases, formula changes, and shifting return policies—even when tinkering with the experience would improve the brand’s margins. And that consistency pays off: 90 percent of consumers trust brands that consistently deliver.”
Retailers should also lean into relationships and authenticity in both marketing and the in-store experience. That’s part of why Matt Watts, group head of planning at krow Group, recommends featuring employees in marketing. “When customers see the people behind the brand, whether it’s store employees, managers or even behind-the-scenes staff, they feel more connected to the company,” he says in Retail TouchPoints. “This connection can foster trust and loyalty to build long-term customer relationships.”