What’s happening:
Trust in major institutions continues to weaken. Confidence in government, traditional news, and social media companies is notably lower than in years past, signaling a broader hesitation toward the organizations that shape public life. Retailers, however, remain an exception. While not immune to scrutiny, they continue to hold steadier levels of trust, likely due to their more direct and transparent relationships with consumers. In a climate where trust feels increasingly fragile, everyday interactions with brands still offer a sense of reliability that many larger institutions no longer do.
What we found:
- Across various government institutions, including the President, Senate, the House, and state & local government, an average of 43% cite a decrease in trust over the past 2 years, whereas an average of 29% cited an increase.
- Social media and traditional news outlets see similar levels of erosion of trust (avg. 42% decrease vs. 27% increase)
- Retailers, on the other hand, have either no change in trust or an increase
- Small/local businesses see the largest leap, with 45% of respondents feeling more trusting of these establishments.
Why it matters:
The erosion of institutional trust leaves an opening for brands to play a more meaningful role in people’s lives. When reliability and transparency are in short supply elsewhere, companies that consistently meet expectations can become trusted fixtures in daily routines. Earning that trust doesn’t require sweeping gestures, but builds from steady, consistent actions that show people they can count on you.
(N=923, MoE ±3.2%, 95% CI,
Data Collected: October 3-6 2025)
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