Australians trust imported beer more than a local brew.  Two foreign beer makers have topped the most trusted beer brand list, while Australian makers just narrowly made an appearance.  Mexican beer Corona with its signature lemon wedge took out the most trusted beer brand in Reader's Digest's Most Trusted Brands survey, while Dutch brand Heineken was a close second.  More than 2400 people were polled for the annual survey that covered everything from wine, barbecues and vacuum cleaners.  The backyard clothes line staple Hills Hoist was the most trusted iconic Australian brand, while the allure of a sausage had Bunnings Warehouse top the country's most trusted retailer.  Guide Dogs Australia was the most trusted charity, beating RSPCA and the Cancer Council.  Overall, vacuum cleaner brand Dyson was voted the most trusted brand in 2016, with battery makers Energizer and Duracell coming in second and third.  The relevance of social media to brands was put in the spotlight on Thursday, with Reader's Digest admitting transparency online can be a brand's undoing.  "(Social media) brings brand performance into the public domain, making exchanges transparent and brands immediately accountable," the magazine wrote.  "It's a tough arena, but one that ensures only the most honest brands with a history of being reliable, consistent and genuine, can succeed."  Trust was hard to find with Australian cars, with the top trusted car brands this year all foreign-owned: Toyota, Mercedes-Benz and Mazda.  In terms of the big four banks, Commonwealth Bank was the most trusted, while Coles beat Woolworths in the most trusted supermarket.  Brands were tested on their reputation, customer service, history, reliability, quality and consistency.  Brands Australians trust in 2016:  Beer: Winner: Corona - highly recommended: Heineken, Carlton Draught  Charity: Guide Dogs, RSPCA, Cancer Council  Retailer: Bunnings, JB Hi-Fi, Target  Australian iconic brands: Hills Hoist, Qantas, Arnott's  Confectionary: Cadbury, Lindt, Darrell Lea  Banks: Commonwealth Bank, NAB, Westpac
Australians will trust a foreign beer over locally made brews, with Corona and Heineken more highly sought after than Carlton Draught.