Dettol has retained the top position in Reader's Digest's 27th annual Trusted Brands survey, followed by Panadol and Toyota, as Australians facing cost-of-living pressures increasingly scrutinise whether brands deliver genuine value.
Toyota has held the most trusted car brand title for all 27 years since the survey began. Commonwealth Bank was named bank of the year for another consecutive year, while Singapore Airlines claimed most trusted airline for a fourth straight year.
Bunnings took the most iconic brand title and Weber won the BBQ category for the 13th consecutive year.
"Blind brand loyalty is no longer enough; instead, consumers are conducting a much more careful assessment of whether a brand truly delivers on its word through consistent innovation and proven dependability," said Cameron Gentle, managing director of Catalyst Consultancy and Research, which conducted the survey.
Two notable category additions this year reflect the current climate. Internet service providers returned as a category with Telstra taking the top spot and Aussie Broadband a close second. Solar panels debuted as a new category, won by Solahart, as more than 39% of Australian homes now use rooftop solar.
The top 20 trusted brands: Dettol, Panadol, Toyota, Bunnings, Dulux, Weber, Cadbury, Royal Flying Doctor Service, Vicks, Twinings, Bridgestone, Selleys, Vanish, Samsung, Singapore Airlines, Victa, Sanitarium Weet-Bix, Sealy, Yates and Daikin.
The survey covered 4,187 Australians across 67 categories.
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