Hardware store Bunnings has split the supermarket duopoly as Australia’s second most trusted brand, taking the place of Coles in the 12 months to September.

For most of the past three years, Coles has ranked behind Woolworths, which consistently leads the list.

Market research firm Roy Morgan noted that Bunnings was Australia’s most trusted brand pre-pandemic until May 2020, when Woolworths snatched the ranking.

“As cost-of-living pressures deepen, this trend only worsens as much of corporate Australia, from banks and airlines to supermarkets and utilities, are viewed by some as greedy and profiteering,” said Roy Morgan CEO Michele Levine.

“Australians feel their wallets are shrinking while companies and executives are getting richer.”

Roy Morgan added that according to Australians, Bunnings is in a strong position to receive the title again early next year.

Australians praised Bunnings for providing a competitive-priced range of products; handling complaints or returns fairly and promptly; having a friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable staff; and being an equal-opportunity employer.

Levine said Bunnings ranks highest among people aged 35 and above, most likely homeowners or who are paying off a mortgage.

Supermarket chain Aldi has placed fourth while Kmart ranked fifth among the most trusted brands.

Meanwhile, Optus remains the most distrusted brand – even before its major network outage last month. Facebook/Meta, Qantas, Medibank, and Harvey Norman also found themselves at the bottom end of the list with the most negative feedback.