Champions of trust in Romania. Results and challenges for brands in the post-truth era

Kantar Romania launched, during an event dedicated to their clients, "The Trust Factor – Building Brands That Endure Uncertainty", the top 20 brands that manage to inspire the greatest confidence among the Romanian consumers, based on the analysis of 162 brands from 12 sectors*.

In a period marked by uncertainty and skepticism, trust becomes the essential element in the relationship between brands and consumers.

LEADING ON TRUST: GLOVO TOPS THE RANKING
During the event called The Trust Factor - Building Brands That Endure Uncertainty, Kantar Romania presented the top 20 most trusted brands according to consumers' perceptions.

Kantar BrandZ Romania - Ranking of the top 20 brands* according to the trust they inspire to the Romanian consumers, brands measured between 2022 and 2024
Glovo ranked first, registering the highest trust index (146) of all the 162 brands evaluated so far by BrandZ in Romania, significantly above the market average (100).
The analysis of the Top 20 ranking reveals some key trends in Romanians' preferences:
 The dominance of delivery platforms and retailers: their massive presence underlines how much Romanians value convenience and brands that simplify their lives.
 Performers in traditionally low-trust sectors: Even in challenging categories like OTCs or spirits, brands like Nurofen and Jack Daniel's manage to gain consumer trust.
 The power of global quality brands: established brands such as Samsung are at the top, confirming the importance of perceived quality.
 The success of local brands: Borsec and eMAG prove that local brands with a solid history and reputation can build a strong relationship of trust.
 Innovation in banking: Innovative solutions like Revolut are gaining their place alongside traditional banks, known for integrity.
In contrast, the utilities and hair care sectors did not have representatives in the top of trust. The barriers identified include:
 Utilities: The uncertainty generated by sector liberalization, discussions about capping and prices, along with the complexity of services.
 Hair care: The sheer number of options, communication that idealizes results, variable efficacy, and growing demand for natural ingredients.

THE CHALLENGES OF THE POST-TRUTH ERA: THE CONTEXT OF THE STUDY
The event started with an analysis of the current context, carried out by Carmen Pătrașcu, Managing Director Kantar Romania. It highlighted the challenges of a world dominated by misinformation and skepticism: we live in a world where fabricated stories spread rapidly, fueled by algorithms and our own biases. Manipulated images, masterfully woven fake news – they erode trust, produce division and make us question everything. "Welcome to the post-truth era! A world in which, more often than not, faith weighs more than evidence. When people struggle to distinguish fact from fiction, when they don't have access to clear, easy-to-understand scientific information, fear can take root. This skepticism towards science shown by Romanians (editor's note: according to the latest Eurobarometer, Romanians doubt science the most) hinders progress. It can impact the decisions people make, e.g. about their own health, it can stifle innovation and the adoption of new products." Faced with this worrying picture, Carmen also launched a challenge for the audience: "In an age when objective facts and truth have less influence on the formation of public opinion, less than emotional appeals and personal or group beliefs – this question therefore arises more and more: how do we build trust?"
THE '3i' MODEL: HOW TO BUILD AND MEASURE TRUST
Mary Kyriakidi, Global Thought Leader at Kantar and special guest of the event, presented the "3i" model as a tool for building trust:
1. Integrity: Doing what you promise and providing adequate compensation when problems arise.
2. Identification: establishing a connection on a human, emotional level – essential in uncertain times, when people rely more on emotions.
3. Inclusion: making the consumer feel part of the brand's community, equal and valued, activating the primordial feeling of trust in the group.
"Witnessing the warmth and enthusiasm in the room helped us to bring Kantar's 3 'i's of Brand Trust vividly to life. It's a powerful reminder that trust isn't just theoretical; it's deeply human. When we talk about Integrity, Identification, and Inclusion, we're talking about creating the very kind of genuine connection and receptive environment we experienced together during the entire session. This engagement underscores how vital these elements are, not just for brands connecting with consumers, but for us marketers connecting with each other around shared challenges and insights."', said Mary Kyriakidi, highlighting the model's resonance with the event attendees' experience.

THE LEVEL OF TRUST IN ROMANIA AND THE IMPACT ON THE PURCHASE DECISION
Kantar's global studies show that trust is hard to earn: only 1 in 4 consumers worldwide say they trust brands. "Although this level of trust may seem modest, it tells us an essential story about trust: it is not built overnight; It is gained gradually, percentage by percentage, through consistent quality, authentic stories, and sincere engagement from brands. In a world where trust is becoming increasingly scarce, brands that manage to earn it are in an advantageous position. They not only strengthen their reputation, but also become the preferred choice of consumers, thus simplifying the decision-making process," said Madalin Vladu, Senior Director, Brand & Sustainability Lead at Kantar Romania
The level of trust varies significantly between countries (e.g. 33% in Mexico vs. 18% in Italy). In Romania, the average level of 23% (based on the 162 brands analyzed) is close to the global average, but underlines the importance of adapting strategies to local specificity.
Moreover, Kantar's analyses revealed a strong correlation (R²=0.6) between the level of trust in a brand and the predisposition of Romanian consumers to choose it. A trusted brand has a significantly higher chance of ending up in the shopping cart.
But trust, as hard as it is to build, it can be easily destroyed. An example comes from the way Romanians perceive what brands do and communicate in terms of sustainability. 8 out of 10 Romanians believe that brands only pursue profit when they talk about sustainability and 1 out of 2 have the feeling that brands communicate falsely or misleadingly about sustainability, i.e. they are greenwashing. This skepticism is not just a passive attitude; it directly influences purchasing decisions, especially among consumers interested in behaving sustainably.

INNOVATION: A CONFIDENCE MULTIPLIER
"Just like people, brands have a life cycle: they are born, they grow, they grow old and sometimes they get tired. To keep up, they need to innovate and evolve. New brands need to innovate to stand out and enter the market – i.e. to predispose more people – and established brands to revitalize or expand – i.e. to find a space, a new source for growth.", says Anca Vlad, Account Director, Innovation Lead at Kantar Romania.
The study confirms this: brands perceived by Romanians as innovative generate 27% more trust than those perceived as less innovative. Thus, innovation amplifies the positive effect of trust on purchase intention.

INDUSTRY LEADERS SHARED PRACTICAL INSIGHTS
The event culminated with a dynamic discussion moderated by Andreea Dîrzu, Account Director, Brand & Creative at Kantar Romania. Marketing leaders from top-tier brands shared their practical experiences on integrating trust into daily operations:
 Cristina Miclea, Marketing Director, Lactalis Romania
 Diana Mihai, Director of Marketing, Communication and Brand Experience, ING Romania
 Narcis Horhoianu, Chief Marketing Officer & E-commerce, Carrefour Romania
 Tudor David, Marketing Director, Farmec
The panel provided the audience with valuable conclusions about translating the concept of trust into tangible business strategies, from communication and customer service to organizational culture.
The ranking of the most trusted brands in Romania was compiled using the same approach that Kantar uses to compile the BrandZ ranking of the 100 most valuable brands globally every year. Details about it here: https://www.kantar.com/campaigns/brandz.

The data for all 162 brands measured in Romania but also all brands measured over time in BrandZ globally, in over 1000 categories in 44 countries, can be accessed for free in the KantarMarketplace platform here: https://registration.kantarmarketplace.com/Registration?Product=BrandSnapshot

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