Rochester Business Journal

Wegmans Food Markets Inc.’s emphasis on customer service appears to be paying off—again.

The company, along with Trader Joe’s Co., Publix Super Markets Inc. and Fareway Stores Inc., scored highest among 52 of the nation’s major grocery stores in a Consumer Reports survey released Tuesday. The rankings appear in the May issue of the magazine.This is the third straight year Wegmans has been ranked at the top of the survey. It received a score of 88, ahead of No. 2 Trader Joe’s with 86.

Fareway is an Iowa-based grocery chain. Publix is based in Florida and operates chiefly in the South. Last October, California-based Trader Joe’s announced plans to open a location in Pittsford this year.

More than 24,000 Consumer Reports readers took the survey. Of those surveyed, one-third said they had given up on their nearby grocery store due to prices, while 25 percent pointed to long lines, lousy food and poor selection as reasons.

Nearly half of those surveyed had at least one complaint about their current grocery store, while almost one-third had more than one complaint. The biggest complaint was not enough open checkouts, cited by 27 percent of those surveyed.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the largest grocer in the country and the chain with the most shoppers in the survey, received some of the lowest scores. Complaints included out-of-stock items, indifferent employees and lack of open checkouts.

Wegmans was at the opposite end of the spectrum. The chain was praised for its quality of meat and produce, cleanliness and prices. Wegmans also received the highest scores possible for service.

The non-profit Consumer Reports is the world’s largest independent product-testing organization. Its monthly magazine contains no advertising.

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