A

PROJECT REPORT
ON

“A STUDY OF CONSUMER PERCEPTION

TOWARDS BATHING SOAPS WITH REFERENCE
TO LUX, DOVE & PEARS”

SUBMITTED TO

AWADHESH PRATAP SINGH UNIVERSITY, REWA (M.P.)

FOR THE AWARD OF

MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
MBA (SEMESTER-IV)

BY

MR. VIKAS PANDEY

UNDER GUIDANCE OF
PROF. K.P.TRIPATHI

THROUGH
THE DIRECTOR
VINDHYA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT & RESEARCH,
SATNA (M.P.)
2013- 2014

1
VINDHYA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT & RESEARCH,
SATNA (M.P.)

GUIDE’S CERTIFICATE
This is to certify that MR. VIKAS PANDEY has satisfactorily completed the

Project work on “A Study of Consumer Perception towards Bathing Soaps with

reference to Lux, Dove & Pears” under my guidance for the partial fulfillment of

MBA (Semester-IV) submitted to Awadhesh Pratap Singh University, Rewa

during the academic year 2013-2014.

To best of my knowledge and belief the matter presented by her is original

work and not copied from any source. Also this report has not been submitted

earlier for the award of any Degree of Awadhesh Pratap Singh University, Rewa.

Place: Satna PROF. K. P. TRIPATHI

Date: / / 2014 (Project Guide)

2
VINDHYA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT & RESEARCH,
SATNA (M.P.)

DECLARATION

I undersigned, hereby declare that this project report entitled “A Study of

Consumer Perception towards Bathing Soaps with reference to Lux, Dove &

Pears” prescribed by AWADHESH PRATAP SINGH UNIVERSITY, REWA during the

academic year 2013-2014 under the guidance of PROF. K.P.TRIPATHI is my original

work.

The matter presented in this report has not been copied from any source. I

understand that any such copying is liable to be punishable in any way the

university authorities deem to be fit. Also this report has not been submitted

earlier for the award of any Degree or Diploma of Awadhesh Pratap Singh

University, Rewa or any other University.

This work humbly submitted to Awadhesh Pratap Singh University for the

partial fulfillment of Master of Business Administration (Sem-IV).

PLACE: SATNA MR.

VIKAS PANDEY
DATE: / / 2014

3
VINDHYA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT & RESEARCH,
SATNA (M.P.)

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Whenever we are standing on most difficult step of the dream of our life,
we often remind about The Great God for His blessings & kind help and he
always helps us in tracking off the problems by some means in our lifetime. I feel
great pleasure to present this project entitled “A Study of Sales, Brand Image and
Service Effectiveness with reference to Reebok Shoes”.
I am grateful to those people who help me a lot in preparation of this
project report. It is their support and blessings, which has brought me to write
this project report. I have a deep sense of gratitude in my heart for them.
I am very thankful to my project guide Prof. K.P.Tripathi for his whole-
hearted support and affectionate encouragement without which my successful
project would not have been possible.
Finally, I am very grateful to Mighty God and inspiring parents whose
loving & caring support contributed a major share in completion of my task.

Mr. Vikas Pandey

4
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

S.N. Contents Page No.

1 Introduction of Project 6-9

2 Company Profile 10-20

3 Objectives 21-22

4 Review of Literature 23-25

5 Research Methodology 26-29

6 Data Analysis & Interpretation 30-50

7 Findings & Suggestions 51-53

8 Limitations 54-55

9 Conclusion 56-57

10 Bibliography 58-59

Annexure
11 60-64
Questionnaire

5
 CHAPTER-I

INTRODUCTION OF PROJECT

6
INTRODUCTION:

The term “perception” can be defined as the ability to derive meaning. Derived from the
word “perceive”, it refers to the ability of giving meaning to whatever is sensed by our sense
organs. It is the process through which an individual interprets ones’ sensory impressions to
give meaning to them. Schiffman defines it as “the process by which an individual selects,
organizes, and interprets stimuli into a meaningful and coherent picture of the world.”

Perception can be better explained by understanding the nature and characteristics of

perception:

1. Perception is a complex process. After a stimulus is detected by the sense organs, the
perception process comes into play and involves the interplay of three processes, viz.,
selection, organization and interpretation. It is a dynamic process.
2. It is also an intellectual process; it involves a lot of cognitive effort. Once sensation
takes place, the perception process involves the selection, organization and
interpretation of data.
3. Perception is broad in nature; it includes a physiological component (through
sensation), as well as sociological and psychological components.
4. Perception is a subjective process as two people may perceive the same stimuli
differently. While two persons may be exposed to the same stimuli, the manner in
which they select them, organize and interpret them is different. This is because the
two are impacted by their background, learning and experiences, motivation,
personality, cultures, values and lifestyles, social class effects etc which may be
different from each other.

The perceptual process starts when a person is exposed to a stimulus and the sensory
receptors report the same to the human body. While the senses may be exposed to various
stimuli, the human senses select only some of these at a point of time. This is because the
sense organs have a limited capacity at a particular point of time. After the sense organs,

7
report a few stimuli, the perceptual process takes over. Of the stimuli that have been detected,
few are selected, organized and interpreted for meaning. This is known as perception.

During this process of selection, organization and interpretation, the human being is
assisted by the memory bank or the information that is stored in his long term memory. This
is known as the schema. The scheme acts as a filtering mechanism and helps select some of
the stimuli, and then interpret and organize them. The selection, organization and
interpretation by the human mind is done on the basis of i) characteristics of the perceiver,
and ii) characteristics of the situation. The characteristics of the perceiver include learning
and experiences, knowledge and beliefs, motivation, need and involvement, attitude,
personality, social class, culture etc. All these constructs act as the bases of the schema, and
put together affect the perceptual process. The characteristics of the situation include the time
and location.

NATURE OF PERCEPTION:

6.4.4 THE PERCEPTUAL PROCESS AND THE MECHANISM:

People perceive things differently because of their characteristics and backgrounds,
and because of the different perceptual mechanisms that take place. Although we may differ
in such processes, universally speaking, the perceptual process comprises four components,
viz., input, perceptual mechanism, output and behavior. Let us have a discussion on these.
i. Input: The input to the perceptual process refers to the various stimuli that surround an
individual and exist in his environment. It could assume various forms, for example, it could
be another person, object, thing, or situation. The perceptual process begins when the sensory
receptors detect a stimulus in the environment, which acts as an input to the perceptual
mechanism.

ii Perceptual mechanism: The perceptual mechanism consists of three sub-processes, viz.,

selection, organization and interpretation. Once the sense organs detect a stimulus in the
environment, a person selects, organizes and interprets it through perceptual selectivity,
perceptual organization and perceptual interpretation. Put together, these are known as

8
perceptual mechanisms.
 Perceptual selection or perceptual selectivity refers to a tendency within a person to
select one or a few out of the many stimuli present in the environment; this selectivity
is based on one’s demographic, socio-cultural and psychographic factors. A person
would tend to select those stimuli that appear relevant and attractive to him.
 Perceptual organization refers to the process of organizing the various stimuli with
other cues around so that a whole picture can be created. In other words, the various
stimuli are organized and given a form. It is the process of organizing inputs into a
definite, coherent and interpretable structure.
 Perceptual interpretation refers to the process of drawing in inferences out of the
organized whole (of stimuli), and giving meaning to it.

iii Output: Once the input has been interpreted, it results in an output. This output towards
the stimuli assumes various forms, for example, in the formation of emotions and moods,
feelings and opinions, as well as attitudes and beliefs.

iv Behavior: The resultant behavior is an outcome of the output. Based on his emotions and
moods, feelings and opinions, as well as attitudes and beliefs, a person would enact out a
behavior. This behavior is a function of and will be reflective of such emotions and moods,
feelings and opinions, as well as attitudes and belief.

9
 CHAPTER-II

COMPANY PROFILE

10
COMPANY PROFILE:

Soap is a product that many people might take for granted or consider rather ordinary, but
for some, lathering up can be a treasured part of a morning or nightly routine.

Scented or unscented, in bars, gels, and liquids, soap is a part of our daily lives. In the
United States, soap is a $1.390 million (US$)* industry with over 50 mass market brands.
But in some markets the sales potential for soap is only beginning to be realized. At the end
2000, soap was a $1.032 million (US$)* business in India. IFF's marketing experts offer
the following overview of this growing category.

Overview of the Indian Soap Category

India is a vast country with a population of 1,030 million people. Household penetration of
soaps is 98%. People belonging to different income levels use different brands, which fall
under different segments (see table below), but all income levels use soaps, making it the
second largest category in India (detergents are number one). Rural consumers in India
constitute 70% of the population. Rural demand is growing, with more and more soap
brands being launched in the discount segment targeting the lower socio-economic strata
of consumers.

Soap Price (per 75 gram cake)

Segment in in US$
rupees
Carbolic* 5.00 10 cents
Discount 7.00 15 cents
Popular 11.00 23 cents
Premium 17.00 36 cents
Super 35.00 75 cents
Premium

11
History of Soap in India
During the British rule in India, Lever Brothers England introduced modern soaps by
importing and marketing them in India. However, North West Soap Company created the
first soap manufacturing plant in India, which was situated in the city of Meerut, in the
state of Uttar Pradesh. In 1897, they started marketing cold process soaps. During World
War I, the soap industry floundered, but after the war, the industry flourished all over the
country.

Mr. Jamshedji Tata set up India's first indigenous soap manufacturing unit when he
purchased OK Coconut Oil Mills at Cochin Kerala around 1918. OK Mills crushed and
marketed coconut oil for cooking and manufactured crude cold process laundry soaps that
were sold locally. It was renamed The Tata Oil Mills Company and its first branded soaps
appeared on the market in the early 1930s. Soap became a necessity for the moneyed class
by around 1937.

Brand Positioning Then and Now

Soap manufacturers originally targeted their products to the lowest income strata in urban
as well as rural areas, positioning their brands as a way to remove dirt and clean the body.
For some brands, that positioning persists even today with a focus on removal of body odor
and keeping the user healthy. However, soap positionings are moving towards skin care as
a value-added benefit.

Consumer Use Today

Toilet soaps are always used in the bar form—there is no other form in the Indian market—
and they are used in the bath. Showers are a distant dream for 70% of India’s population,
who live in the villages where there is not even a regular supply of drinking water. In the
urban areas, people bathe by using a bucket of water, mug, and a bar of soap. In villages,
they usually bathe by the river bank or village ponds. Although most of the urban houses

12
have a shower facility, showers are seldom used because of the scarcity of water.

Consumer Preferences
Consumer preferences are varied and are more regionally specific. India is divided into
four regions: North, East, West, and South.
 Consumers in the North prefer pink colored soaps, which have floral profiles. Here
the fragrance preference is for more sophisticated profiles reflecting their lifestyles.
Freshness soaps with lime and citrus notes are also popular preferences as the cli-
mate in the North is very hot and citrus/lime scented soaps are seen to be refreshing.
 The East is not a big soap market; hence no particular preference skews.
 Consumers in the West exhibit preferences for strong, impactful fragrances and
somewhat harsher profiles compared to the North. Preferences are more for the pink
soaps with floral fragrances, primarily rose, which are positioned on the beauty
platform.

 In the South, the skew is towards specific soap segments like the Herbal/Ayurvedic
profiles and also the Sandal profiles. Consumers here do not exhibit high brand loy-
alty and are ready to experiment and try out new brands. Hence, most fast moving
consumer goods companies tend to launch their new brands in these markets, which
they call test launch markets.

Marketing
Soap is primarily targeted towards women, as they are the chief decision-makers in terms
of soap purchase. Medicated positionings like germ killing and anti-bacterial are marketed
to families.

About 75% of soap can be bought through these different types of outlets:

Kirana Store: This is the most common source for buying soap, which usually forms a
part of the month’s grocery list (which is purchased from these Kirana Stores). Consumers
exhibit loyalty to these stores, which is largely dependent on proximity to consumers’
homes. Here consumers buy across the counter and do not have an option of browsing
13
through display shelves.

Pan-Beedi Shops: These are really small shops, almost like handcarts, and they are
primarily set up to dispense cigarettes and chewing tobacco. However, one would find such
a shop at every corner and they are the main sources of soap purchase for the lower socio-
economic classes. These kinds of shops exist by the dozen in rural areas.

Department Store: In India, there are very few department stores and the “Indianised”
version of department stores are called “Sahakari Bhandars.” It is still a fairly new concept.
However, department stores have good display counters and this is the only place where
consumers get a first hand experience of shopping and choosing from available options.
Here soap prices are also discounted below the retail prices.

HINDUSTAN UNILEVER LIMITED

Introduction

Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) is India's largest fast moving consumer goods company,
with leadership in Home & Personal Care Products and Foods & Beverages. HUL's brands,
spread across 20 distinct consumer categories, touch the lives of two out of three Indians.
They endow the company with a scale of combined volumes of about 4 million tonnes and
sales of Rs.13,718 crores.

The mission that inspires HUL's over 15,000 employees is to "add vitality to life". With 35
Power Brands, HUL meets every day needs for nutrition, hygiene, and personal care with
brands that help people feel good, look good and get more out of life.

It is a mission HUL shares with its parent company, Unilever, which holds 52.10% of the
equity. A Fortune 500 transnational, Unilever sells Foods and Home and Personal Care
brands in about 100 countries worldwide.

Products & Services of HUL: -

14
1. Home & Personal Care

Personal Wash
Lux   Breeze

Lifebuoy   Dove

Liril   Pears

Hamam   Rexona

Laundry     Skin Care  

Surf Excel     Fair & Lovely  

Rin     Pond's  

Wheel     Vaseline  

    Aviance  
Hair Care     Oral Care  
Sunsilk Naturals     Pepsodent  

Clinic     Closeup  

Deodrants     Color Cosmetics  

Axe     Lakme  

Rexona    

Ayurvedic Personal and Health Care

Ayush

2. Foods: -
Tea   Coffee    
Brooke Bond   Brooke Bond Bru    
Lipton          

Foods   Ice Cream    

Kissan   Kwality Wall's    

15
 Annapurna
Knorr

LUX SOAP
• The name Lux means ‘light’ in Latin.

• In the country since 1929 and endorsed by popular film stars, Lux is the biggest
brand in the soap category.

• First brand ambassador: Leela Chitnis (1929)

Everything about the brand – from the look and feel of the products and packaging to the
subtle fragrances – is a delight to the senses. In fact, Lux has been making waves since 1924,
when it launched the world's first mass-market beauty soap at a fraction of the cost of some
expensive brands. 

How it all started 

 Lux was first introduced as a toilet soap in 1925. Produced by Lever Brothers, it ar-
rived in the UK in 1928, offering people a chance to pamper themselves for a modest
price.
 From the 1930s right through to the 1970s, Lux soap colours and packaging were al-
tered several times to reflect fashion trends. In 1958 five colours made up the range:
pink, white, blue, green and yellow. People enjoyed matching their soap with their
bathroom colours.
 In the early 1990s, Lux responded to the growing trend away from traditional soap
bars by launching its own range of shower gels, liquid soaps and moisturising bars.
Lux beauty facial wash, Lux beauty bath and Lux beauty shower were launched in
1992.
 In 2004, the entire Lux range was relaunched in the UK & Ireland to include five
shower gels, three bath products and two new soap bars. 2005 saw the launch of three
exciting new variants with dreamy names such as “Wine & Roses” bath cream,
“Glowing Touch” and “Sparkling Morning” shower gels.          

16
Advertising 
 In 2004, Sarah Jessica Parker featured in the Lux 'Brings Out the Star in You’ adver-
tising campaign. Sarah Jessica Parker epitomizes the modern Lux woman: comfort-
able and confident in her femininity.

 Prominent Variant:

 Lux fruit
 Lux saffron
 Lux sandalwood

17
 Lux rose
 Lux international
 Lux chocolate
 Lux aromatic extracts
 Lux oil and honey glow etc.

       

18
19
Aishwarya Rai in a print advertisement featuring Lux international

20
DOVE SOAP

Hindustan unilever limited offers dove. Dove soap, which was launched by unilever, has
been available in India since 1995. It provides a refreshingly real alternative for women who
recognize that beauty is not simply about how you look, it is about how you feel.
The skin`s natural ph is slightly acidic 5.5-6. Ordinary soaps tend to be alkaline, with ph
higher than 9. Dove is formulated to be ph neutral [ph between 6.5 and 7.5] and to be mild on
skin. This makes it suitable for all skin types for all seasons. While dove soap bar is widely
available across the country, dove body wash is available in select outlets.
Dove has been positioned throughout its history without referring to it as "soap", but as a
"beauty bar" with one-fourth cleansing cream. Dove’s logo is a silhouette profile of a dove,
the colour of which often varies. Dove’s products include: antiperspirants/deodorants, body
washes, beauty bars, lotions/moisturizers, hair care and facial care products.

PEARS SOAP
Pears transparent soap is a brand of soap first produced and sold in 1789 by Andrew Pears
at a factory just off Oxford Street in London, England. It was the world's first transparent
soap. Under the stewardship of Thomas J. Barratt, A. & F. Pears Ltd. company initiated a
number of innovations in sales and marketing. According to Unilever records, Pears Soap
was the world's first registered brand and is therefore the world's oldest continuously existing
brand.

Benefits of Pears Soap

Pears soap is hypo-allergenic and non-comedogenic so it will not clog pores, and contains no
color that may irritate sensitive skin. It is designed to be a gentle and mild cleanser. It is
made with quality ingredients including glycerin and natural oils. It contains no animal
byproducts.

21
How is Pears Soap Made?
Very little has changed from the first process started by Andrew Pears, which basically
follows the same process used for other soaps. Each bar is aged under controlled conditions
for three months. This time frame allows for the curing period of the soap. The longer each
bar cures, the more it allows for a harder bar and gentle cleansing. After each bar has
matured, it is individually polished and packaged.

Specialty of Pears Soap :

Perhaps the most prominent feature of Pears Soap is the transparency of each bar. The
glycerine that is a natural byproduct of the soap-making process is retained in the soap,
causing the transparency. Another feature is the concave shape of each bar. According to the
thesoapopera.com, this is caused by the curing process and not a mold.

Where is Pears Soap Made?

Pears soap was introduced in India in 1902. The facility in India is the only facility in the
world that makes the famous Pears soap. The same quality that made Pears famous is still as
important today as it was when it was first started.

Significance of Pears Soap:

Andrew Pears revolutionized the soap world when he developed his formula for Pears Soap.
He claimed his soap as "safe and healthy and made its users beautiful." When Pears soap first
came on the market in the late 18th century, other soaps were indeed harsh and would
sometimes damage delicate skin. Pears soap offered a more gentle cleanser.

Different Types of Pears Soap:

Pears soaps have expanded into different product lines. It now offers the traditional
transparent soap along with shower gels, body washes, facial cleansers and hand washes. It
comes in three variants: the traditional Amber; Lemon Flower Extract using the "oil clear
formula" and Tea Tree Oil, which is known for its antibacterial properties.

22
 CHAPTER-III

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

23
OBJECTIVES

 To study the consumer perception towards bathing soaps

 To study the awareness regarding various brands of soap.

 To identify the factors considered before buying bath soap.

 To identify the soap having best range of prices , attractive packaging and easy
availability

24
 CHAPTER-IV

REVIEW OF LITERATURE

25
Review of Literature:

Perception is basically an organism which describes an individual’s perceived image which

he expect from any product or service. Observation can be changed or influenced by
numerous factors.

AWARENESS OF CONSUMER ABOUT PRODUCT:

Brown et al. (2000) reported that the need for educating young generation specially those
who are in their adolescence are noticeably increasing, given their regular food eating habits
and International Journal of Advancements in Research & Technology, behaviour, children
who are in their teenage prefer food with respect to food nutritious as well as three factors
plays very important role, home envirnment, school and social gatherings .

Aaker (2000) assess that brand awareness plays a vital role in consumer perception especially
when their buying pattern is not defined. Branded items gives the feeling of familiarity
especially in low involvement products for example soaps and other day to day usage items,
media and advertisement are effective tools for awareness.

Nandagopal and Chinnaiyan (2003) conclude that the mode of purchase of product also
effecting buying pattern and so perception of consumer.

FACTORS INFLUENCE THE CONSUMPTION PATTERN:

Kumar et al. (1987) examined those factors which effect buying decisions making of large
number of respondents for different food products. Country, origin, and brand of the product
impact effectively and largely. Brand of the product is the most important factor since
consumers more attracted toward brand. Income, age and awareness are dependant factors.

26
Sabesson (1992), stated that brand of processed food is chosen by its quality, taste of the
product and price of product. These are the major factor which affects the criteria for food
brand selection.

Rees (1992), study he explains those factors which influence consumer choice of food and
flavor includes food texture, appearance, taste and quality whereas use of microwave and
reduction in traditional cooking are the factors which effect consumer usage of product.

Vanniarajan and Kubendran (2005) describe that consumer perception and usage of any
product can be changed due to change in food eating habbits. If income and urbanization
increases in among consumers then the percentage of income spent on
consumption Increases. The urban consumer mostly like branded products as compared to
rural consumers.

27
 CHAPTER-V

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

28
Research Methodology:

This project is prepared with the help of theoretical knowledge as well as practical
knowledge & a crumb of advises & suggestions from the concerned professors. As far as
practical is concerned, all the information about the companies information available on
internet. The theoretical pert taken from the various books & magazines available on this
subject. And other recent happing in marketing is taken from magazines & news paper.
Overall this mission has been completed with the combination of all those things & it had
been with the best of my facts & information.

Research methodology refers to search for knowledge. Redman and Mory define research as
a “Systematized effort to gain new knowledge. Research is an academic activity and such the
term should be used in technical sense. According to Clifford Woody, Research comprises
defining and redefining problem, formulating hypothesis or suggested solutions; collecting,
organizing and evaluating data; making deductions and research conclusions; and at last
carefully testing the conclusions to determine whether they fit the formulating hypothesis.

Research is thus an original contribution to the existing stock of knowledge making for its
advertisement. It is pursuit of truth with the help of study, observation, comparison and
experiment. In short the search for knowledge through objective and systematic method of
finding solution to problem is research.

RESEARCH DESIGN

Methodology is the way to systematically solve the research problem. Research methodology
just does not deals with research methods but also consider the logic behind the methods. It
may be understood as a science of studying how research is done scientifically and
systematically. In studying research problem along with the logic behind them it is necessary
for the researcher to know the research methods, would apply to the problem given to him.
All this means that it is necessary for the researcher to design methodology from problem to
problem.

29
 Research methodology may be summarized in the following steps –

1. Defining the research objective.

2. Preparing the research design.
3. Implementation of the research design.

1. Research design

A complete enumeration of the items in the population is known as census enquiry. It can be
presumed that in such as enquiry when all items are covered, no elements of change are left
and highest accuracy is obtained. However this type of inquiry involves a great deal of time,
money and energy.

In sample survey we select only few items from the total population. Results are sufficiency
accurate and much lesser time; energy and money is spending in field studies. Hence, it was
decided to opt for sample survey.

2. Data collection

There are two types of data collection

Primary data collection –

Questionnaire had been prepared to get the response of the people as per guided by the
organizational guide. To provide the best end results without any kind of biasness, which can
give a brief idea about sampling and would be beneficial for making inferences for
tabulations and calculations with research instruments? I made a survey through
questionnaire as prepared by me.

Secondary data collection –

Secondary data collected by authorized dealer, magazine, internet, pamphlets, etc.

Need of the study:

The need of the study is to determine the consumer perception towards the bathing soap.
30
Scope of the study:

The scope of the study is restricted to analyze the consumer perception towards the bathing
soap with reference to lux dove and pears within the city of Satna only.

Sample size: 100 respondents

Sampling technique: convenient sampling

Sample area: Satna city

31
 CHAPTER-VI
DATA ANALYSIS & INTERPRETATION

32
 DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION

PERSONAL INFORMATION:

1. Gender of respondents:

Gender Respondents Percentage

Male 48 48

Female 52 52

Total 100 100

INTERPRETATION
From the above chart it is clear that out of 100 respondents, 52 respondents are female while
48 are males.

33
 2. Income Group:

Income group Respondents Percentage

< 1 lakh 8 8

1—3 52 52

3—5 24 24

>5 16 16

Total 100 100

INTERPRETATION

From the above chart it is clear that the majority of 52% respondents are belonging the
income group between 1 to 3 lakhs.

34
 3. Age group of the respondents:

Age group Respondents Percentage

12-18 10 10

19-25 50 50

26-35 22 22

36-45 10 10

> 45 8 8

Total 100 100

INTERPRETATION

From the above chart it is clear that out of 100 respondents, 50% respondents are belonging
the age group between 19-25 years.

35
 4. Number of family members:

Family members Respondents Percentage

<5 58 58

5—7 34 34

7—10 6 6

>10 2 2

Total 100 100

INTERPRETATION

From the above chart it is clear that the out of 100 respondents, a huge amount of 58% are
having the family members less than 5 while 34% of the respondents are between 5-7 family
members.

36
 1. Awareness regarding various brands of soap:

Options Aware Unaware

Respondents Percentage Respondents percentage
Lux 100 100 0 0
Dove 96 96 4 4
Pears 94 94 6 6
Cinthol 92 92 8 8
Liril 84 84 16 16
lifebuoy 92 92 8 8
Rexona 92 92 8 8
Margo 78 78 22 22
Santoor 82 82 18 18
Fair glow 84 84 16 16
Park avenue 58 58 42 42

INTERPRETATION

From the above chart it is clear that the 100% of the respondents are aware of lux soap.96%
are aware of dove.94% are aware of pears. The least awareness is regarding Park Avenue
(58%).
2. Number of soaps purchased every month:
37
 Option Respondents Percentage

1—3 30 30

4—6 34 34

>6 36 36

Total 100 100

INTERPRETATION

From the above chart it is clear that 36% of the respondents purchase more than 6 soaps every month.
34% purchase 4-6 soaps every month. 30% of the respondents purchase 1-3 soaps.

3. Frequency of purchase:

38
 Options Respondents Percentage

Weekly 12 12

Bimonthly 80 80

Quarterly 8 8

Semi annually 0 0

Total 100 100

INTERPRETATION

From the above chart it is clear that 80% respondents purchase soaps bimonthly, 12%
purchase soap weekly and a minimum of 8% respondents purchase soap quarterly.

4. Liking towards the bath soap:

39
 Options Respondents Percentage

Herbal soap 23 23

Beauty soap 38 38

Medicated soap 39 39

Total 100 100

INTERPRETATION

From the above chart it is clear that the out of 100 respondents like medicated soap, 38% like beauty
soap and 23% respondents like herbal soap.

5. Bath soap currently in use:

Options Respondents Percentage

40
 Lux 32 32

Dove 15 15

Pears 22 22

Others 31 31

Total 100 100

INTERPRETATION

From the above chart it is clear that the out of 100 respondents 32% using Lux, 22% using
pears, dove is being used by 15% respondents while 31% respondents are using other soaps.

6. Source of information about bath soap:

Options Respondents Percentage

41
 Family 29 29

Relatives 3 3

TV 55 55

Newspaper 4 4

Shopkeeper 0 0
reference

Others 9 9

Total 100 100

INTERPRETATION

From the above chart it is clear that the out of 100 respondents 55% of the respondents are getting
information of any soap from TV and 29% from their family members.

7. Factors considered before buying a soap:

Options Respondents Percentage

42
 Price 7 7

Quality 41 41

Hygiene 22 22

Brand name 12 12

Fragrance 14 14

Special offer 1 1

Availability 3 3

Total 100 100

INTERPRETATION

From the above chart it is clear that the out of 100 respondents, 41% consider quality as an
important factor before buying a soap, 22% consider hygiene factor, 14% considers
fragrance.

8. Soap with best range of prices:

43
 Options Respondents Percentage

Lux 60 60

Dove 11 11

Pears 16 16

Others 13 13

Total 100 100

INTERPRETATION

From the above chart it is clear that the out of 100 respondents 60% of the respondents feel
that lux has the best range of prices.

9. Easy availability in stores:

44
 Options Respondents Percentage

Lux 67 67

Dove 10 10

Pears 14 14

Others 9 9

Total 100 100

INTERPRETATION

From the above chart it is clear that the out of 100 respondents 67% respondents are agree
with lux in respect of easily accessible in stores.

10. Soap with zero side effects:

45
 Options Respondents Percentage

Lux 12 12

Dove 36 36

Pears 39 39

Others 13 13

Total 100 100

INTERPRETATION

From the above chart it is clear that the out of 100 respondents, 39% respondents have opinion that
pears have zero side effects after that 36% agreed with dove.

11. Soap with the most attractive packaging:

Options Respondents Percentage

46
 Lux 21 21

Dove 35 35

Pears 41 41

Others 3 3

Total 100 100

INTERPRETATION

From the above chart it is clear that the out of 100 respondents 41% feels that dove has the
most attractive packaging followed by dove (35%) and lux (21%).

12. Advertisement which can be easily recalled:

47
 Options Respondents Percentage

Lux 46 46

Dove 22 22

Pears 32 32

Total 100 100

INTERPRETATION

From the above chart it is clear that the out of 100 respondents, 46% respondents were able
to recall the advertisement of lux soap, 32% were able to recall the ad of pears and only 22%
of the respondents were able to recall the ad of dove.

13. Satisfaction regarding the soap in current use:

48
 Options Respondents Percentage

Yes 96 96

No 4 4

Total 100 100

INTERPRETATION

From the above chart it is clear that the out of 100 respondents, 96% were satisfied with the
soap they are currently using while 4% respondents are not satisfied with their soap.

49
 14. Planning to change your current soap:

Options Respondents Percentage

Yes 22 22

No 78 78

Total 100 100

INTERPRETATION

From the above chart it is clear that the out of 100 respondents, only 22% are planning to
switch to use other brand of the soap.

50
15. Ranking of the various attributes
LUX

Factors Strongly Agree Neutral

Low price agree
60 25 15
Hygiene 0 50 25
Brand image 40 50 0

Skincare 10 35 25
Easy availability 85 15 0
Packaging 25 40 25
Celebrity 85 10 5
endorsement
Moisturizing 0 0 60
effect
Good effect on 0 15 60
germs

DOVE

Factors Strongly agree Agree Neutral

Low price 0 40 25
Hygiene 35 30 25
Brand image 50 30 10
Skincare 50 25 25
Easy availability 25 35 25
Packaging 70 10 15
Celebrity 0 0 0
endorsement
Moisturizing 60 15 20
effect effect on
Good 30 30 40
germs

51
 PEARS
Factors Strongly Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly Mean
Low price agree
0 50 25 15 disagree
10 score
3.2
Hygiene 40 40 10 10 0 4.1
Brand image 45 40 15 0 0 4.3
Skincare 55 30 15 0 0 4.4
Easy 50 25 15 10 0 4.1
availability
Packaging 65 35 0 0 0 4.7
Celebrity 0 0 15 35 50 1.7
endorsement
Moisturizing 30 40 30 0 0 4
Goodeffect
effect on 45 30 25 0 0 4.2
germs

INTERPRETATION

From the above tables it is clear that on the basis of low price, easy availability and celebrity
endorsement, Lux is on the top. On the basis of hygiene factors, brand image, skincare,
packaging, and good effects on germs, Pears is on the top. On the basis of moisturizing
effect, dove is on the top.

52
 CHAPTER-VII
FINDINGS & SUGGESTIONS

53
FINDINGS

It has been found that:

 100% respondents were aware of lux soap while 42% respondents were not aware
about Park Avenue.

 36% of the respondents purchase more than 6 soaps every month.

 80% respondents purchase soap bimonthly.

 39% respondents like medicated soap.

 32% of the respondents were currently using lux soap.

 55% of the respondents got the information about their soap from TV.

 41% of the respondents consider quality as the most preferred factor before buying a
soap.

 60% of the respondents feel that lux have the best range of prices.

 39% of the respondents feel that pears have zero side effects.

 41% of the respondents were of the view that pears have the most attractive pack-
aging.

 46% of the respondents were able to recall the ad of lux out of which 60% were able
to recall the ad featuring Abhishek and Ashwariya.

 96% of the respondents were satisfied with the soap they are currently using.

 22% of the respondents were planning to switch over to some other brand of soap
(out of which 63% would switch to pears).

54
SUGGESTIONS

 Dove should try to attract more customers by reducing its prices.

 Lux should improve its packaging.

 Pears and dove should make use of celebrity endorsement in order to increase their
customers.

 Efforts should be made by lux to increase the moisturizing ingredients.

 Pears lux and dove should go for an medicinal variant.

 Dove and Pears should add floral fragrance to their soap.

55
CHAPTER-VIII
LIMITATIONS

56
LIMITATIONS:

 This study is done in Satna city hence it is applicable only in this particular
region and not elsewhere. .

 Time frame of this study was limited. The result could be different if the time
frame would have been long.

 Sometimes some respondents were not in full mood to give the answers to
the questions so some of the answers may not be exact.

57
CHAPTER-IX
CONCLUSION

58
Conclusion:

This project is containing the combination of both theoretical and practical knowledge.
From this survey one can conclude that in the recent years the awareness regarding the
varieties and effects of soaps have increased many folds. While buying soaps quality is
preferred over the price. It was also found that packaging and celebrity endorsements
influence the buying decisions of the consumers. At last it can be said that if the
recommendations are followed the sales of the companies can be improved.

59
CHAPTER-X
REFERENCES

60
 REFERENCES

BOOKS

1. Philip Kotler, “Marketing Management”, 11th edition, Pearson education Asia

Publication.

2. C.R.Kothari, “Research Methodology methods & techniques”, New Age Interna-

tional (P) Ltd. publishers, 2nd edition.

WEBSITES

www.hll.com

www.wikipedia.org

www.google.com

www.fmcg.com

61
CHAPTER-XI
ANNEXURE

62
Questionnaire

RESEARCH SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRE ON CONSUMER PERCEPTION TOWARDS

BATHING SOAPS

I am a student of A.P.S University, Rewa pursuing M.B.A. with Marketing

Specialization. I am currently doing a survey regarding “A Study of Consumer
Perception towards Bathing Soaps with reference to Lux, Dove & Pears”. Please
spend your precious time by filling up this questionnaire. Your feedback will be kept
confidential. Your answers are valuable to my research. Thank you for your kind
cooperation.

Personal Information:

Name:

Gender:

Age:

Education qualification:

Occupation:

Annual income: <1 lakh ( ), 1-3 lakh ( ), 3-5 lakh ( ), >5 lakh ( )

Family members: <5 ( ), 5-7 ( ), 7-10 ( ), >10 ( )

1. What are the brands of soap you are aware of?

Products Spontaneous Aided

63
 Lux

Dove

Pears

Cinthol

Liril

Lifebuoy

Rexona

Margo

Santoor

Fair glow

Park avenue

2. How many bath soap do you purchase for your household every month?
1-3 4-6 more than 6

3. What is the frequency of purchase?

Weekly Bimonthly quarterly semi-annually

4. Which kind of bath soap do you like?

Herbal soap

Beauty soap

Medicated soap

5. Which bath soap do you use?

Lux Dove Pears Other (specify)

6. How did you come to know about your favorite bath soap?

64
 Family relatives TV newspapers

Shopkeeper reference others (specify)

7. What are the factors you take into consideration before buying soap?
Price Quality Hygienic Brand name

Fragrance Special offer Availability Others

8. Which brand does u think has the best range of prices?

Lux Dove Pears Others
(specify)

9. Which brand is easily available in stores?

Lux Dove Pears Others
(specify)

10. Which soap do u think has zero side effects?

Lux Dove Pears Others
(specify)

11. Which brand is having most attractive packaging?

Lux Dove Pears Others
(specify)

12. Which Ad do you recall?

Lux ___________________________________________________________

Dove ___________________________________________________________

Pears____________________________________________________________

65
13. Are you satisfied with your soap? Y / N

If no what do you expect more from your soap?

Do you have any plan to switch over? Y / N

14. If yes, to which brand?____________________________________________

15. Which celebrity is most suitable for endorsing bath soap?

16. Rank the following soaps with respect to corresponding attributes.

Attributes Lux Dove Pears

Price

hygiene

Brand image

Skincare

Easy availability

Packaging

Celebrity
endorsement

Moisturizing Effect

Gsood effect on
germs

66
THANK YOU!

67