Because trust in one of the most important values for us as at Creditplus, we decided to look at who people in the UK really trust. The results were nothing if not surprising!

The good news is three in five people say that a company’s trustworthiness, transparency and customer service are crucial, whilst 50% consider trustworthiness and ethical practices to be a big influence in their shopping habits. This seems to indicate that we’re right in believing that trust and ethical behaviour are as essential in business as they are in life.

Check out our infographic below to get to know the results of our consumer survey:

Do We Trust Ethical Companies More?

Many companies are addressing important issues such as food waste, the environment and animal testing - and it's becoming increasingly clear that ethical practices influence our buying decisions.  

Just had a hot chocolate from @Pret for 49p just by taking in my own reusable cup! LOVE that brands are getting on board with environmental issues! 🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼

— Carly Rowena (@CarlyRowena) January 2, 2018

Asda supermarket in Barry gives away leftover vegetables https://t.co/pwSgcMehKk

— BBC News (UK) (@BBCNews) December 30, 2017

As well as the standard factors – value for money, customer service and quality – social responsibility and ethical practice are a key part of our decision-making.  

A quick search for the #cfbloggers hashtag on Twitter pulls up hundreds of blog posts about cruelty-free brands (companies that don’t test their products on animals), suggesting that social influencers are helping to lead the conversation about ethical living.

It’s not just blogging and social media that’s giving us a voice; as consumers, review sites like Trustpilot let us share our experiences – both positive and negative – and help inform the buying decisions of others. With 73% of consumers saying positive customer reviews make them trust a company more, the scope and power of our collective voice is plain to see.

In one way or another, we are all becoming more mindful of how our way of life impacts the world around us. Whether it’s giving up meat, supporting local businesses or simply just saying no to a takeaway cup, we are all doing something to make the world a slightly better place – and holding the companies we do business with to higher standards as well.