Customer service levels have seen a third consecutive year-on-year rise, up +2.1% in 2026, according to the latest UK Customer Satisfaction Index (UKCSI), as a combination of quality, price and service wins favour with shoppers.

The latest index, compiled by The Institute of Customer Service, showed that, while the top 10 brands were dominated by banking and travel businesses, retailers including John Lewis, Holland & Barrett and M&S were also recognised for their commitment to customer care.

John Lewis was ranked second, improving its score by +0.9 points compared to 2024. Meanwhile Holland & Barrett, which improved by +0.6 points year-on-year, was ranked in 10th place jointly alongside M&S which, in spite of a well publicised cyber attack disrupting operations in 2025, also made the top 10. In separate polling by GlobalData, M&S was recently also ranked the UK’s most trusted retailer, along with John Lewis, Tesco, Amazon, and Sainsbury’s.

Top ten brands for customer service (Jan 2026) 1. first direct – 87% 2. John Lewis – 86.4% 3. Hays Travel – 86.2% 4. Nationwide – 86.1% 5. Jet2holidays.com – 85.8% 6. Starling – 85.7% 7. Petplan – 85.6% 8. Tesco Mobile – 85.3% 9. PayPal – 84.8% 10. = Holland & Barrett, M&S (non-food) and M&S (food) – all 84.7%

The UKCSI said that the brands achieving the highest customer satisfaction scores had combined excellence in transactional experiences, logistics and delivery, whilst also demonstrating genuine care for customers.

“We have entered a new world where the basics of delivering a good product or service on time are base-level expectations,” said Jo Causon, CEO of The Institute of Customer Service. “Service is the differentiator – and what sets the brands at the top of the UKCSI apart is that they consistently deliver on their service promise.”

Its poll also showed that, as household spending continues to be squeezed, the perception of ‘good value’ remained a top consideration for 32% of customers when assessing the service they receive from brands. This highlights the role of combining quality, price and service in attracting new customers while retaining existing shopper loyalty.

“Consumers are feeling unsure about the UK economy but more optimistic about their own finances – so they are spending, but being selective about where. The best-performing organisations understand the importance of keeping promises to customers, and customers are taking note,” Causon added.

She added that the next six months will be shaped by brands continuing to “invest in what matters” – customers, service experiences and the people that make those happen – in order to drive up satisfaction, consumer trust, repeat business and growth.