Publix ranks as America's second favorite grocery store

LAKELAND — For the fourth year in a row, Publix Super Markets has been ranked America's second favorite grocery store, according to a study by Market Force.

Market Force asked survey participants to rate their satisfaction with their most recent grocery shopping experience and their likelihood to refer that grocer to others. The results were averaged into a Composite Loyalty Index.

On that index, Publix had a score of 75%, the study says. The top grocer on the list, Rochester, N.Y.-based Wegmans, received a score of 76%. Trader Joe's Market, Hy-Vee Food Stores and ALDI round out the top five.

As another part of the study, Market Force ranked the grocery stores by the following six attributes: cashier courtesy, store cleanliness, find items wanted, item availability, checkout speed and specialty department service. Publix ranked first in five of the six categories, only being outperformed in cashier courtesy by Trader Joe's.

Market Force's survey was conducted online in February 2016. The pool featured 10,025 respondents with a broad spectrum of income levels. More than half reported household incomes of more than $50,000.