WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Â鶹´«Ã½AV’s annual update on Americans’ views of major U.S. industries and business sectors finds two food-related industries -- grocery and restaurant -- rated significantly worse than a year ago. American’s opinions of the publishing industry have also declined meaningfully in the past year. At the same time, Americans are much more positive about the sports industry.
These findings are from Â鶹´«Ã½AV’s Aug. 1-20 annual Work and Education survey. The survey asks Americans whether their opinions of various U.S. industries or business sectors are very positive, somewhat positive, neutral, somewhat negative or very negative.
Positive ratings of the 25 industries included in the survey remain at the low end of what Â鶹´«Ã½AV has measured historically. On average, across all industries and sectors, 37% of Americans this year have a positive opinion, similar to the 36% average ratings in 2022 and 2023 and higher only than the record-low 34% average in 2008 during the Great Recession.
The decline in restaurant industry ratings leaves farming and agriculture (at 64%) as the most positively rated industry. Farming, restaurant and computer are the only three industries to get majority-level positive ratings in the 2024 survey. One of these three industries has been the top-rated industry each year since the question was first asked in 2001; since 2019, it has been either farming and agriculture or restaurant, or the two have been statistically tied.
The pharmaceutical (61%), oil and gas (53%), and healthcare (51%) industries and the federal government (58%) get majority-level negative ratings. Half rate education negatively, though a substantial 40% rate it positively.
The pharmaceutical industry has been the lowest-rated industry or tied for the lowest since 2016. However, the federal government and oil and gas industry have been rated the worst (or tied for the worst) most often since 2001, at 14 times and 16 times, respectively.
Grocery Industry Ratings More Negative Than Positive for First Time
Typically, Americans have evaluated the grocery industry much more favorably than unfavorably, averaging 52% positive and 21% negative ratings since 2001. However, those views have changed at a time of higher food prices and lower confidence in grocery store food safety.
Now, more Americans give a negative (47%) than positive (33%) rating of the grocery industry, the first time that has happened in Â鶹´«Ã½AV’s trend. Americans gave equally positive and negative ratings in 2008 during the Great Recession, when inflation was also elevated.
The current figures represent an eight-percentage-point decline in positive ratings and a 17-point increase in negative ratings from a year ago.
The 17-point increase in negative ratings of the grocery industry is one of the largest year-to-year increases Â鶹´«Ã½AV has measured. The largest was a 23-point increase in negative ratings of the accounting industry between 2001 and 2002 amid the Enron accounting scandal. Most of the others occurred during the Great Recession era and financial crisis, including 21 points for real estate, 19 points for banking and 19 points for airlines in 2008.
Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris recently proposed banning price gouging by food suppliers and grocers. The poll was mostly completed before she made her announcement, and Americans’ opinions of the grocery industry had already turned negative by then.
Positive Ratings of Restaurant Industry Tied for Lowest
The nine-point decline in positive ratings of the restaurant industry, to 52%, has been accompanied by a four-point increase in negative ratings and a five-point increase in neutral ratings. The only other time restaurant ratings were this low was in 2008, when 51% rated the industry positively.
Historically, restaurants have averaged a 61% positive and 10% negative rating.
Sports Industry Rating Recovers
After four consecutive years of below-average positive ratings, the sports industry is now more firmly back in net-positive territory. Today's 42% positive rating is up from 31% in 2023 and nearly matches what it was in 2019 (45%). Meanwhile, negative ratings of the sports industry have dropped from 33% to 28%.
Ratings of the sports industry dropped more steeply among Republicans and Republican-leaning independents than among Democrats and Democratic leaners during the pandemic. While ratings have recovered among both groups, Democrats’ ratings show greater improvement and are now more positive than they were before the pandemic.
Even though Republicans and Republican leaners’ ratings of the sports industry have improved, more GOP-affiliated Americans still have a negative (41%) than positive (32%) view of the industry.
Bottom Line
Americans’ opinions of industries have historically been responsive to events or situations that cast certain industries in a favorable or an unfavorable light. Higher food prices and greater concerns about food safety are two factors that likely contribute to Americans’ less positive views of two of the historically best-rated industries, restaurant and grocery. Meanwhile, the recovery in ratings of the sports industry could reflect an easing of some of the controversies that have plagued sports in recent years. These include sports organizations’ response to the COVID-19 pandemic and athletes’ protests and comments on controversial issues.
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