Oil, Pharmaceutical, Health Insurance, Banking, Tobacco and Utilities Top the List of Industries That People Would Like to See More Regulated
Less than 10% of adults think that tobacco, oil, managed care, health insurance, social media, telecom, pharmaceutical and airline industries are "generally honest and trustworthy"
NEW YORK, Dec. 15, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The annual Harris Poll that measures the numbers of people who think that 19 large industries are "generally honest and trustworthy" finds that the most trusted industries are now supermarkets, hospitals, computer hardware and software companies and online search engines. The poll also finds that industries that the largest numbers of people would like to see "more regulated" are oil, pharmaceutical, health insurance, banking, tobacco and electric and gas utilities. The banking industry has lost some ground since last year, while car manufacturers have made some gains.
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These are some of the results of The Harris Poll of 2,499 adults surveyed online between November 7 and 14, 2011 by Harris Interactive.
When asked which industries are "generally honest and trustworthy so that you normally believe a statement by a company in that industry" over two in five Americans (43%) reply "none of them". The industries that are least trusted are tobacco (3%), oil (6%), managed care (7%), social media (8%), health insurance (8%), telecom (8%), pharmaceuticals (8%), and airlines (9%). The industries trusted by the most people are supermarkets (31%), hospitals (29%), computer hardware and software companies (22% and 20%) and online search engines (21%). The biggest change since last year on this question is an 8-point drop in those who trust banks (from 20% to 12%).
When asked which of the 19 industries should be "more regulated by government" just over a third of adults say "none of these". The industries that the largest numbers of people would like to see more regulated are oil (44%), pharmaceuticals (42%), health insurance (40%), banks (39%), tobacco (33%) and electric and gas utilities (33%). Only very few people (less than 10% of adults) want to see more regulation of computer hardware and software companies, online search engines, supermarkets, online retailers, or social media companies. The biggest change this year is a drop of 12 points (from 26% to 14%) in those who would like to see more regulation of car manufacturers.
So What?
These numbers, including the changes since last year, reflect both people's actual experiences of interacting with these industries and the media coverage, positive and negative, of them. For example, the improvement in the numbers for the auto industry has surely been influenced by the industry's recent strong performance. And, the banks' more negative numbers on trust probably reflect recent reports involving insider trading, housing foreclosures and other scandals.
History tells us these numbers matter. The better an industry's reputation, the less likely it is to be targeted by the media or by legislators and regulators.
|
TABLE 1 INDUSTRIES THAT ARE GENERALLY HONEST AND TRUSTWORTHY - TREND "Which of these industries do you think are generally honest and trustworthy – so that you normally believe a statement by a company in that industry?"
|
|||||||||||
| Base: All U.S. adults |
|||||||||||
|
|
2003 |
2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
2008 |
2009 |
2010 |
2011 |
CHANGES |
|
| 2010- 2011 |
2003- 2011 |
||||||||||
| % |
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
|
| Supermarkets |
40 |
42 |
39 |
34 |
32 |
30 |
36 |
29 |
31 |
+3 |
-9 |
| Hospitals |
34 |
35 |
34 |
28 |
28 |
31 |
28 |
29 |
29 |
0 |
-5 |
| Computer hardware companies |
27 |
29 |
27 |
20 |
18 |
17 |
23 |
16 |
22 |
+6 |
-5 |
| Online search engines |
n/a |
n/a |
n/a |
n/a |
n/a |
n/a |
n/a |
n/a |
21 |
n/a |
n/a |
| Computer software companies |
22 |
25 |
22 |
23 |
17 |
16 |
20 |
15 |
20 |
+5 |
-2 |
| Electric and gas utilities |
n/a |
n/a |
14 |
14 |
15 |
16 |
16 |
19 |
16 |
-3 |
n/a |
| Online retailers |
n/a |
n/a |
16 |
11 |
10 |
10 |
16 |
12 |
16 |
+4 |
n/a |
| Packaged food companies |
23 |
23 |
21 |
14 |
12 |
13 |
16 |
11 |
14 |
+3 |
-9 |
| Banks |
35 |
40 |
34 |
31 |
30 |
21 |
12 |
20 |
12 |
-8 |
-23 |
| Car manufacturers |
14 |
18 |
13 |
9 |
11 |
10 |
8 |
8 |
12 |
+4 |
-2 |
| Life insurance companies |
11 |
15 |
10 |
11 |
10 |
9 |
10 |
10 |
11 |
+1 |
0 |
| Airlines |
20 |
22 |
17 |
16 |
11 |
11 |
10 |
12 |
9 |
-3 |
-11 |
| Pharmaceutical and drug companies |
13 |
14 |
9 |
7 |
11 |
10 |
9 |
11 |
8 |
-3 |
-5 |
| Telephone/Telecommunication companies |
12 |
13 |
11 |
10 |
10 |
9 |
10 |
7 |
8 |
+1 |
-4 |
| Health insurance companies |
7 |
9 |
9 |
7 |
7 |
7 |
7 |
8 |
8 |
0 |
+1 |
| Social media companies |
n/a |
n/a |
n/a |
n/a |
n/a |
n/a |
n/a |
n/a |
8 |
n/a |
n/a |
| Managed care companies such as HMOs |
4 |
5 |
5 |
4 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
7 |
7 |
0 |
+3 |
| Oil Companies |
4 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
4 |
6 |
+2 |
+2 |
| Tobacco companies |
3 |
4 |
4 |
2 |
3 |
2 |
3 |
2 |
3 |
+1 |
0 |
| None of these |
37 |
32 |
37 |
40 |
44 |
44 |
44 |
48 |
43 |
-5 |
+6 |
Note: Multiple-response question; n/a = industry not asked about that year
|
TABLE 2 INDUSTRIES THAT SHOULD BE MORE REGULATED - TREND "Which of these industries do you think should be more regulated by government – for example for health, safety or environmental reasons – than they are now?"
|
|||||||||||
| Base: All U.S. adults |
|||||||||||
|
|
2003 |
2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
2008 |
2009 |
2010 |
2011 |
CHANGES |
|
| 2010- 2011 |
2003- 2011 |
||||||||||
| % |
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
|
| Oil companies |
52 |
48 |
55 |
54 |
53 |
53 |
47 |
47 |
44 |
-3 |
-8 |
| Pharmaceutical and drug companies |
57 |
55 |
51 |
48 |
53 |
49 |
47 |
46 |
42 |
-4 |
-15 |
| Health insurance companies |
59 |
56 |
46 |
48 |
52 |
49 |
45 |
42 |
40 |
-2 |
-19 |
| Banks |
21 |
20 |
19 |
17 |
20 |
36 |
40 |
34 |
39 |
+5 |
+18 |
| Tobacco companies |
44 |
42 |
36 |
38 |
41 |
31 |
33 |
38 |
33 |
-5 |
-11 |
| Electric and gas utilities |
n/a |
n/a |
43 |
38 |
41 |
34 |
32 |
33 |
33 |
0 |
n/a |
| Managed care companies such as HMOs |
60 |
55 |
43 |
41 |
45 |
39 |
36 |
34 |
31 |
-3 |
-29 |
| Airlines |
31 |
27 |
26 |
21 |
30 |
23 |
23 |
27 |
25 |
-2 |
-6 |
| Life insurance companies |
35 |
34 |
26 |
24 |
28 |
25 |
27 |
27 |
23 |
-4 |
-12 |
| Hospitals |
35 |
35 |
28 |
28 |
33 |
27 |
25 |
25 |
22 |
-3 |
-13 |
| Telephone/Telecommunication companies |
30 |
31 |
26 |
23 |
25 |
19 |
20 |
23 |
21 |
-2 |
-9 |
| Packaged food companies |
26 |
24 |
17 |
19 |
30 |
20 |
20 |
24 |
21 |
-3 |
-5 |
| Car manufacturers |
24 |
24 |
24 |
19 |
22 |
16 |
21 |
26 |
14 |
-12 |
-10 |
| Social media companies |
n/a |
n/a |
n/a |
n/a |
n/a |
n/a |
n/a |
n/a |
9 |
n/a |
n/a |
| Online retailers |
n/a |
n/a |
14 |
13 |
13 |
9 |
10 |
12 |
8 |
-4 |
n/a |
| Supermarkets |
10 |
8 |
6 |
6 |
9 |
6 |
5 |
8 |
7 |
-1 |
-3 |
| Online search engines |
n/a |
n/a |
n/a |
n/a |
n/a |
n/a |
n/a |
n/a |
6 |
n/a |
n/a |
| Computer software companies |
11 |
9 |
8 |
7 |
9 |
6 |
6 |
9 |
5 |
-4 |
-6 |
| Computer hardware companies |
8 |
8 |
7 |
7 |
9 |
5 |
5 |
9 |
5 |
-4 |
+3 |
| None of these |
20 |
20 |
25 |
23 |
19 |
22 |
28 |
30 |
35 |
+5 |
+15 |
Note: Multiple-response question; n/a = industry not asked about that year
Methodology
This Harris Poll was conducted online within the United States between November 7 and 14, 2011 among 2,499 adults (aged 18 and over). Figures for age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, region and household income were weighted where necessary to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population. Propensity score weighting was also used to adjust for respondents' propensity to be online.
All sample surveys and polls, whether or not they use probability sampling, are subject to multiple sources of error which are most often not possible to quantify or estimate, including sampling error, coverage error, error associated with nonresponse, error associated with question wording and response options, and post-survey weighting and adjustments. Therefore, Harris Interactive avoids the words "margin of error" as they are misleading. All that can be calculated are different possible sampling errors with different probabilities for pure, unweighted, random samples with 100% response rates. These are only theoretical because no published polls come close to this ideal.
Respondents for this survey were selected from among those who have agreed to participate in Harris Interactive surveys. The data have been weighted to reflect the composition of the adult population. Because the sample is based on those who agreed to participate in the Harris Interactive panel, no estimates of theoretical sampling error can be calculated.
These statements conform to the principles of disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.
The results of this Harris Poll may not be used in advertising, marketing or promotion without the prior written permission of Harris Interactive.
J40989
Q755, 760
The Harris Poll® #129, December 15, 2011
By Humphrey Taylor, Chairman, The Harris Poll
About Harris Interactive
Harris Interactive is one of the world's leading custom market research firms, leveraging research, technology, and business acumen to transform relevant insight into actionable foresight. Known widely for the Harris Poll and for pioneering innovative research methodologies, Harris offers expertise in a wide range of industries including healthcare, technology, public affairs, energy, telecommunications, financial services, insurance, media, retail, restaurant, and consumer package goods. Serving clients in over 215 countries and territories through our North American and European offices and a network of independent market research firms, Harris specializes in delivering research solutions that help us – and our clients – stay ahead of what's next. For more information, please visit www.harrisinteractive.com.
Press Contact:
Corporate Communications
Harris Interactive
212-539-9600
[email protected]
SOURCE Harris Interactive
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