Cracks in the Aisle: Growing Concerns About Trust in Hannaford
  

Hannaford is a regional grocery chain operating nearly 200 stores across Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, and New York. Founded in Portland, Maine in 1883, Hannaford today is owned by Ahold Delhaize, a multinational retail conglomerate headquartered in the Netherlands that also owns Food Lion, Giant Food, The Giant Company, and Stop & Shop. 

A recent survey of 869 Hannaford customers paints an unflattering picture of trust in the grocer’s prices and quality.   

Sixty-five percent of respondents said Hannaford’s slogan, “Your Local Grocer Since 1883,” gives the impression that Hannaford is a local, community-based business, and 50% agreed the company is being dishonest by portraying itself as local despite foreign ownership.  

Nearly half (43%) said they were surprised to learn Hannaford is owned by a foreign corporation, and over one in three (37%) said this discovery makes them trust the company less. 
 
Further, after learning about Hannaford’s credit-card data breach, 86% of respondents said they are concerned about using their cards at the store, with 36% saying they are very concerned. Likewise, after hearing that Hannaford recalled multiple products—including beef, cookies, salads, and baked goods—for listeria, contamination, and undeclared allergen concerns, a majority (51%) said they are less likely to shop there.  
 
Additionally, nearly half of respondents (47%) said they are less likely to shop at Hannaford after learning that it broke its pledges to stop selling eggs and pork from animals confined in cages and crates. And 42% believe the company’s continued sale of such products may be linked to its foreign ownership. 
 
Taken all together, these results portray a company facing a severe credibility crisis with its own customers.