The YouGov BrandIndex rankings showed that YouTube and WhatsApp were the second and third highest ranked brands, with the index providing brands with a brand health score based on factors including impression, quality, value, satisfaction, the likelihood of recommendations and reputation.

The rest of the top 10 globally were Google, Adidas, Nike, Colgate, Netflix, Toyota and Ikea.

For the UK, Ikea and Samsung took second and third respectively, with Cadbury and John Lewis rounding out the top five.

The rest of the top 10 were WhatsApp, Netflix, Sony, Lindt and Yorkshire Tea.

The most improved brand in the UK index was British Gas, with other brands with significant rises in UK brand health scores including Octopus Energy, Shell, Uber, BP, Ninja, Guinness, Evri, Netflix and EDF Energy.

YouGov said the rise in energy company rankings reflected a recovery in consumer perspectives of the industry, which was badly hit by price rises following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Sarika Rana, head of consumer insight at YouGov, said: “In the UK, M&S comes top and is reaping the rewards for focusing on improving every aspect of what it does. This is evidence that the public has picked up on the work the company has been doing as part of its long-term improvement plan in recent years.

“Energy companies are among the brands that have seen the biggest improvement in their public perception over the past year. It will be interesting to see if they can sustain this upwards trajectory over 2025.”