Publix Super Markets Inc and Whole Foods Market Inc were the top-rated U.S. supermarket chains in 2010, according to a new study released by the American Customer Satisfaction Index on Tuesday.
Consumer satisfaction with supermarkets in 2010 slipped for the first time in three years, falling 1.3 percent from a year earlier to an ACSI score of 75 out of 100.
Higher food prices were a major contributor to the decline in satisfaction, ACSI researchers said.
Overall costs for food rose 1.5 percent in 2010 after declining in 2009. Big price increases on staples like beef, dairy and produce have been particularly painful for some cash-strapped shoppers.
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