Rand Merchant Bank (RMB) has been crowned the most recommended brand in South Africa, according to a recent study by consumer insights agency KLA. The ranking, based on data from YouGov’s daily BrandIndex tracking tool, reflects which brands current South African customers are most likely to suggest to friends or colleagues — a key sign of trust and advocacy.
RMB scored an impressive 90.1%, making it the top choice among consumers. Samsung secured second place with a recommendation score of 88.9%, while Woolworths Food followed closely with 88.1%. Woolworths Clothing also made the top 10, with a score of 86.7%. Other brands in the list include FNB, Hirsch’s, Cape Union Mart, Checkers, and Metropolitan.
What’s particularly notable is that RMB is also the most improved brand this year, soaring by 15.8%. The ranking considers year-on-year improvements, only including brands with at least 18 months of available data.
Several other brands showed significant improvement, with Ultra Liquors, Identity, iWYZE, Choppies, Total Bonjour/La Boutique, Sportsmans Warehouse, Hollard, Sasol Delight, and WesBank making notable gains.
The rankings are based on data collected between June 1, 2024, and May 31, 2025, through YouGov BrandIndex. This global tracking tool conducts over 560 interviews daily with representative samples of South African adults, asking whether they would recommend each brand to someone they know. The scores reflect the percentage of current customers willing to recommend a brand, based on recent purchase history.
Only brands with a strong base of recent customers are included. The key takeaway? The rankings reveal which brands South Africans trust and are most likely to recommend — a strong indicator of brand loyalty and positive reputation.