Independents rated higher than multiples

Independent practitioners have scored a victory over their multiple rivals this week by receiving the best overall rating in the ReaderÕs Digest European Trusted Brands 2002 survey.Specsavers Opticians was voted the most trusted single optical brand in the UK. However, the survey found the public trusts their local independent practitioner more than the multiples.Having named a brand, respondents then scored it on a range of criteria including ÔqualityÕ and ÔvalueÕ and indicated whether they would buy it. Independents (as a group) won the categories of quality, value and understanding customer needs. In terms of having individual brand awareness, Specsavers received 39 per cent of the votes, more than twice its nearest rivals, fellow multiples Boots Opticians (20 per cent) and Dollond & Aitchison (16 per cent) put together. Independents followed on 11 per cent and Vision Express was last with 9 per cent. Head of research Suzanne Lugthart said that although the public trusts the SpecsaversÕ brand, respondents to the survey appeared to have a closer relationship with independents. ÔBeing voted the most trusted brand is not always related to the other criteria. Specsavers may be a brand someone has heard of, but when they judge the other elements, they will be going on personal experience,Õ she said.ReaderÕs DigestÕs postal consumer survey of 31,692 people, selected from its database, was conducted across 18 countries in Europe and covered a wide range of companies including banks and mobile phone providers between September and November last year.