Chipotle Mexican Grill has reached a new low in consumers’ eyes following its recent food-safety problems, a new consumer survey says.
The latest “Buzz” measurement from YouGov BrandIndex assigned Chipotle a score of -40—a 48-point drop from the score it received on Nov. 1, when news of the E.coli issue was just breaking.
That perception decline is equivalent to the drop experienced by General Motors in 2014 when the company was accused of hiding ignition-switch failures and had to recall a large number of vehicles, YouGov BrandIndex says.
Chipotle has in recent weeks grappled to regain public favor as it deals with the fallout of an E.coli outbreak that sickened patrons in nine states and a separate norovirus epidemic that afflicted dozens of Boston College students.
YouGov BrandIndex’s Buzz score rates brands on a scale of -100 to 100, with 0 indicating neutral consumer perception.
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