Poll puts Swatch Group top of the image tree

The Swatch Group enjoys the best reputation among Swiss firms, according to a study published on Tuesday, while bank UBS is rooted at the bottom of the list.

GfK Switzerland, the country’s largest market research company, together with researchers at Zurich University, placed chocolate maker Lindt & Sprüngli second and supermarket chain Migros third.

About 3,400 people were asked in a survey about the image, profile, quality, innovation and emotional components of 112 companies.

Computer peripherals company Logitech came fourth, followed by the Raiffeisen saving and loan banks, the Schindler elevator and escalator firm, food giant Nestlé, the Swiss Federal Railways, the Liechtenstein construction industry supplier Hilti and the Zurich public transport company ZVV.

Non-governmental organizations including the Swiss air rescue service Rega, which topped the poll last year, were not included in the 2009 survey. Others excluded were the Red Cross and Unicef.

UBS’s reputation has now come in last place two years in a row. GfK noted that the bank’s score this year was even lower.

In contrast, cantonal banks jumped from 56th to 11th position, making them the biggest winners since last year.

swissinfo.ch and agencies