Trader Joe’s tops consumer survey

A new analysis of private brands and retailers conducted by New York-based research consultancy Magid found that Monrovia, Calif.-based Trader Joe’s offers a selection of private brands that more consumers are willing to purchase when compared to other retailers’ store brand selections.

Magid surveyed 3,000 consumers online nationwide. The consumers were asked how open they were to purchasing private brands from various retailers. Trader Joe’s recorded the highest score, with 56 percent of consumers saying they were open to purchasing store brands from the retailer, which offers predominantly private brands. Trader Joe’s has about 475 stores in 43 states.

Walker, Mich.-based Meijer, which operates about 240 stores in Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio and Wisconsin, was second to Trader Joe’s — 55 percent of those surveyed said they were open to purchasing Meijer’s private brands, which include Meijer, Meijer Gold and True Goodness by Meijer. Fifty-percent of consumers also said they were open to buying store brands from Aldi, based in Batavia, Ill. Aldi, which is rapidly expanding and plans to have 2,500 locations by 2022 (it currently has more than 1,600 stores in 35 states), offers a 90 percent assortment of private brands and is introducing more store brand products.

Lakeland, Fla.-based Publix Super Markets, Cincinnati-based The Kroger Co. and Issaquah, Wash.-based Costco Wholesale rounded out the top five. Fifty-three percent of consumers said they were open to purchasing private brands from these retailers.

Fifty-one percent of consumers said they were open to buying own brands from Walmart and Sam’s Club, both based in Bentonville, Ark. Forty-six percent were open to buying store brands from Minneapolis-based Target.

According to Magid, only 37 percent of consumers said they were open to buying Amazon’s store brands, which also includes Whole Foods Market’s 365 Everyday Value line.