ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Consumers rated Publix Super Markets the best among major supermarket chains in customer satisfaction again in 2009, according to the annual American Customer Satisfaction Index.
The Lakeland, Fla.-based chain saw its score rise by four percentage points, to 86, compared with a score of 76 overall for supermarkets. Cincinnati-based Kroger rose a point to 78, placing it in second, followed by Minneapolis-based Supervalu, which rose three points to 77. They were followed by Whole Foods Market, up a point to 76; Winn-Dixie Stores, up a point to 76; Safeway, down three points to 72; and Wal-Mart Stores, up three points to 71.
Discount stores were favored slightly over supermarkets with an aggregate score of 76.2, with gains from both Target Corp. and Dollar General.
”The ‘will to spend’ is evidenced by high customer satisfaction. The issue is whether or not consumers have the ‘means to spend,’” said Claes Fornell, head of the ACSI, based here.
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