Who Do New Zealanders Trust?

Uniforms - renowned for making women weak-kneed - seem to have another effect on New Zealanders - instilling trust. Results from a survey by the Reader’s Digest released today on New Zealanders’ most trusted brands, institutions and professions saw the top five places go to those who dress in the line of duty.

Our most trusted professionals are pilots according to the 2,300 people surveyed. Nurses came in at number two followed by pharmacists, with the police and the armed forces taking out the fourth and fifth spots.

Politicians were a resounding last in the list of 23 professions and institutions - an overwhelming third of all respondents had no trust at all in our country’s lawmakers. Making up the top five least trusted professions were car salesmen, marketers, journalists and psychologists.

Interestingly more people trust plumbers (eighth) and builders (ninth) than they do the church (12th). And more people trust auto-mechanics (13th) than social workers (18th).

Twenty-five product categories were included in the survey, ranging in goods from cold/flu remedy and vitamin supplements to banks and telecommunications providers. Respondents nominated their most trusted brand in each product category, with no prompting.

Air New Zealand was voted most trusted airline and also received the most votes over all making it New Zealand’s most trusted brand.

Reports outlining full survey results will be published in the December issue of Reader’s Digest.
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WINNERS OF NEW ZEALAND’S READER’S DIGEST “MOST TRUSTED BRANDS” SURVEY

New Zealand’s most trusted brands
In some categories more than one brand shared the top spot.

Category Most Trusted Brand/s
Airline Air New Zealand
Arthritis treatment Voltaren
Bank ASB
Breakfast cereal Sanitarium/Weetbix
Car/Passenger Vehicle Toyota
Cold/Flu remedy Vicks Formula 44
Lemsip
Coldrex
Computer equipment IBM
Credit Card Visa
Department store Farmers
Health insurance Southern Cross
Home loan BNZ
Hotel chain Quality Inn
Sheraton
Household appliances Fisher and Paykel
Insurance Company State
Investment/superannuation AMP
Tower
Magazine Reader's Digest
News/current affairs program One News
Newspaper New Zealand Herald
Pain reliever Panadol
Petfood Chef
Radio personality Kim Hill
Supermarket New World
Pack ‘n Save
Tea Bell
Telecommunications provider Telecom
Vitamin supplement Healtheries

Air New Zealand was the overall most trusted brand, receiving more votes than any other product in all product categories.

New Zealand’s most trusted professions and institutions

1. Pilots
2. Nurses
3. Pharmacists
4. Police
5. Defence Force
6. Doctors
7. Teachers
8. Plumbers
9. Builders
10. Architects
11. Accountants
12. The Church
13. Auto-mechanics
14. Telecommunications providers
15. Banks
16. Lawyers
17. Taxi drivers
18. Social workers
19. Psychologists
20. Journalists
21. Marketers
22. Car salesmen
23. Politicians

The top 10 drivers of trust for New Zealanders were as follows:

1. Quality of product or service
2. Positive experience
3. Customer service/customer care
4. Reputation
5. Value for money
6. Consistency
7. Familiarity
8. Stability
9. Guarantees/warranties
10. Price

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