Consumer trust is a fragile asset, built over the years but capable of shattering in an instant. In the hyper-connected world of 2024 and 2025, news of a scandal, a poorly handled recall, or a decline in quality spreads like wildfire. Once a brand’s reputation is damaged, winning back public confidence is a monumental task. Several major companies have recently learned this the hard way, facing customer backlash and significant financial consequences after high-profile missteps. Here are nine brands that have seen a significant erosion of consumer trust in the last year.

1. Boeing
Few companies have faced as much scrutiny over safety as Boeing. Following a series of alarming incidents, including a door plug blowing out mid-flight on an Alaska Airlines plane in early 2024, public confidence plummeted.
Subsequent audits and whistleblower testimonies revealed deep-seated issues in the company’s manufacturing and quality control processes. This continuous stream of negative headlines has severely damaged the trust of the flying public and airlines alike.
2. Target
Target’s recent struggles highlight the difficult tightrope brands walk in today’s polarized culture. The company faced backlash and boycotts, first for its 2023 Pride Month merchandise and then again in 2025 for scaling back some of its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
By trying to appease different groups, Target ended up alienating customers on both sides of the issue, leading to a loss of trust among those who felt the brand had abandoned its stated values.
3. CrowdStrike
As a leading cybersecurity firm, trust is the cornerstone of CrowdStrike’s business. That trust was rocked in mid-2024 when a faulty software update caused a massive, global IT outage affecting millions of computers across countless industries. The failure led to grounded flights and severe operational disruptions worldwide, raising serious questions about the company’s reliability.
4. Bumble
The dating app Bumble, built on a brand of female empowerment, faced a severe backlash in early 2024 after a rebranding campaign. New ads were perceived as being critical of women who choose to be celibate, which many users felt was hypocritical and insulting. The company quickly apologized and pulled the ads, but the misstep damaged its connection with its core user base.
5. United Airlines

While airline issues are common, a string of safety-related incidents in early 2024 put United Airlines under a harsh spotlight. Events like a wheel falling off a plane during takeoff and another aircraft losing an external panel mid-flight created a powerful negative narrative. These events, occurring in quick succession, eroded passenger confidence in the airline’s maintenance and safety standards.
6. Anker
Anker built its reputation on reliable and affordable charging accessories. That reputation took a major hit in June 2025 with a recall of over a million of its popular PowerCore power banks. The reason was a serious fire hazard due to overheating batteries, a fundamental failure for a product designed for safe power delivery.
7. Johnson Health Tech (BowFlex)
The BowFlex brand is synonymous with home fitness. Trust in its flagship product was broken following a massive June 2025 recall of millions of its SelectTech adjustable dumbbells. The weights were found to have a defect where plates could fall off during use, posing a significant injury risk and undermining the product’s core promise of safety.
8. Zicam
In June 2025, Zicam’s parent company, Church & Dwight, issued a major recall of its popular Cold Remedy Nasal Swabs due to potential microbial contamination. For a healthcare product intended to be used nasally, such a quality control failure is a serious breach of trust with consumers seeking safe cold remedies.
9. The Post Office (U.K.)
While not a U.S. brand, the scandal’s impact was felt globally. The U.K.’s Post Office scandal, which culminated in a public inquiry in 2024, revealed a decades-long miscarriage of justice where hundreds of sub-postmasters were wrongfully accused of theft due to faulty accounting software. The revelation of the cover-up destroyed the institution’s credibility and public trust.
The High Cost of Broken Trust
The experiences of these brands over the last year serve as a stark reminder that reputation is everything. Whether through safety failures, cultural missteps, or quality control breakdowns, losing consumer trust has immediate and severe consequences. Rebuilding that confidence is a long, arduous process that requires transparency, accountability, and a fundamental commitment to the customer’s well-being and values.
What brand has lost your trust recently, and why? Do you think these companies can ever fully regain public confidence? Share your thoughts.
Read More
Grocery Chains Sued for Mislabeling: How Trustworthy Are Your Food Labels?
10 Activities That Were Normal in the 90s but Risky Now
The post 9 Brands That Lost Consumer Trust in Just One Year appeared first on Grocery Coupon Guide.