ISSN (Online) 2456 -1304

International Journal of Science, Engineering and Management (IJSEM)

Vol 3, Issue 4, April 2018

Consumer Satisfaction on Personal Care Product of

Hindusthan Unilever Limited With Reference To
Thoothukudi
[1]
A.Saratha,[2] DR.K.Kamalakannan
[1]
M.Phil Research Scholar, [2] Head and Associate Professor
[1][2]
PG and Research Department of commerce, V.O.Chidambaram College,Thoothukudi.
Abstract:- Now a day's most business organizations are operating in a complex and competitive environment where demands are
constantly changing. In this era of intense competition, especially within the FMCG sector, one can achieve success only after
having a thorough understanding about their target consumer preference and satisfaction. Personal care industry is composed of
hair care, bath products, skin care and cosmetics, and oral care. Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) is India's largest Fast Moving
Consumer Goods Company with a heritage of over 80 years in India and touches the lives of two out of three Indians Hindustan
Unilever is looking to diversify its beauty and personal care portfolio and is also working on expanding its distribution network
across the country over the next two years. The study is conducted in and around Thoothukudi and a sample of 60 respondents was
taken. The collected data with the help of well -structured questionnaire. The study shows that consumers give more importance to
the ‘Price’ of the personal care brands they buy. Further the variation of the influence of different factors across gender, marital
status, age group and educational level of respondents was also analyzed in this article. The finding of the study reveals that the
maximum of the respondents are female and most of the respondents are graduates using HUL personal care Products.

Key Words: FMCG - Preference - Customer Satisfaction – Brand – HUL – Personal care products.

INTRODUCTION STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) can be defined as
The Following steps were taken in to consideration, to
packed goods that are consumed or sold at regular and small
identify the research problem Informal investigation, Visit
intervals. India„s personal care industry is composed of hair
to the shop owners, talked to the distributors and to the
care, bath products, skin care and cosmetics and oral care.
consumers in the locality and surrounding areas, External
The sector is driven by rising income, rapid urbanization
and Internal Analysis, Understanding customer problem,
and celebrity promotions. The FMCG Sector in India is the
Understanding the market structure, Situational Analysis,
fourth largest sector in the Indian economy. A few of the
Tastes & preferences, Needs & income, Major Competitors
FMCG product are: Toiletries, Soaps, detergents, Cleaning,
ITC Dabur Procter & Gamble Cavin Care Amul Johnson &
and Cosmetics etc,. Its most popular brands are Sunsilk,
Johnson, etc. They give more importance to price, quality,
Clear, and Clinic Plus. The most common brands include
convenience, reputation of the company. This consumer
Godrej‟s, Cinthol, Reckitt, Dettol, Wipro„s, Santoor, and
satisfaction on Personal care product of Hindustan Unilever
Unilever„s Lux, Dove , Hamam , and Lifebuoy. Hindustan
Limited with reference to Thoothukudi city.
Unilever has three brands that are popular among Indian
women - Fair & Lovely, Lakmé, and Ponds. Fair & Lovely
OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
was the world„s first skin lightening cream and is the
company„s leading skin care brand. Colgate Palmolive„s
The following are the main objectives of the study
Charmis moisturizer is also prominent. Hindustan Unilever
 To identify the preferred brand of personal care
is another significant player with toothpaste brands
Pepsodent and Close Up. As per research data, two out of products of Hindustan Unilever Limited.
three Indians use HUL products. The present study is an  To study the factors influencing consumer
attempt to identify the preferred brand and the level of satisfaction on the personal care products.
satisfaction on the Personal care products of HUL in  To study the level of consumer satisfaction towards
Thoothukudi. personal care products.

All Rights Reserved © 2018 IJSEM 628

 ISSN (Online) 2456 -1304

International Journal of Science, Engineering and Management (IJSEM)

Vol 3, Issue 4, April 2018

COLLECTION OF DATA Table 2 reveals the age wise classification of the

respondents. As high as 68 percent of the respondents are in
Since the objective of research is to measure consumer‟s the age group of 20 yrs - 30 yrs. However 20 percent of the
satisfaction on personal care product with reference to respondents are in the age group of 31 yrs - 40 yrs. About
Hindustan Unilever Limited with reference to Thoothukudi. 12 percent of the respondents fall in the age category of
For this pupose, the best Sources are by issuing above 40 years. Hence it can be concluded that as high as 68
questionnaire to the consumers. percent of the respondent‟s age fall in the category of 20 yrs
- 30 yrs.
SCOPE OF THE STUDY
3. EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATION
The study is undertaken to analyses the consumer
satisfaction on personal care product of Hindustan Unilever The following table is constructed to classify the
Limited. The sample respondents are selected for analysis respondents with their levels of educational qualification.
who is residing within the limit of Thoothukudi.
Table - 3
RESULT AND DISCUSSION Educational Qualification of the respondents
Educational No. of Percentage
1. GENDER WISE CLASSIFICATION Qualification Respondents
The respondents are classified in accordance with
their gender and presented in the following table. Up to Higher 08 13
Table: 1 Education
GENDER WISE CLASIFICATION OF THE
Under Graduation 17 28
RESPONDENTS
Gender No. of Percentage Post Graduation 17 28
Respondents
Professional 08 13
Male 20 33
Others 10 18
Female 40 67
Total 60 100
Total 60 100
Source: Primary Data

Source: Primary Data
Table 1 shows that 33 percent of the respondents are male
and the remaining 67 percent of the respondents are female.
Hence it is revealed that male respondents outnumber the
females.
From the table 3 it is found that 13 percent of the
respondents are up to Higher education. About 28 percent of
the respondent are graduation and post graduation. Another
13 percent of the respondents are professionals. Hence about
18 percent of the respondents are other educations.

2 AGE WISE CLASSIFICATION 4 AVERAGE AMOUNT SPEND ON PERSONAL CARE

The respondents are classified in accordance with their PRODUCT FOR EACH MONTH OF THE
age and presented in the following table. CLASIFICATION
Table - 2 The samples respondents are classified average amount
Age Wise Classification of the respondents spend on personal care product for each month. It is
Age No. of Percentage presented in the following table.
Respondents Table –4
20 yrs – 30 yrs 41 68 Average amount spend on Personal care product for Each
31 yrs – 40 yrs 12 20 Month of the Respondents
Above 40 yrs 07 12 Amount No. of Percentage
Respondents
Total 60 100
Source: Primary Data Rs.100 – Rs.500 34 57

All Rights Reserved © 2018 IJSEM 629

 ISSN (Online) 2456 -1304

International Journal of Science, Engineering and Management (IJSEM)

Vol 3, Issue 4, April 2018

Rs.501 – 19 32 1. Ponds 23 18 19
Rs.1000 (38%) (30%) (32%)

Above Rs.1000 07 11 2. Fair & Lovely 18 27 15

(30%) (45%) (25%)
Total 60 100
3. Aviance 5 9 46
Source: Primary Data (8%) (15%) (77%)
4. Dove 17 15 28
Table 4 reveals that average amount spend on personal care (28%) (24%) (48%)
product for each month of the classification of the 5. Vaseline 15 18 27
respondents. 57 percent of the respondents are spending (25%) (30%) (45%)
amount Rs.100- Rs.500. 32 percent of the respondents are 6. Lakme 18 14 28
Rs.501 – Rs.1000. 11 percent of the respondents Above (30%) (22%) (48%)
Rs.1000. Hence it can be concluded that as high as 57 Hair Care – Shampoo:
percent of the respondents are Rs.100 – Rs.500 Average
1. Sunsilk 15 18 27
amount spend on personal care product for each month.
(25%) (30%) (45%)
2. Dove 11 23 26
5 PREFERENCE PLACE OF PURCHASE FOR THE
(18%) (38%) (44%)
PERSONAL CARE PRODUCT OF THE
3. Clear 16 23 21
CLASSIFICATION
(27%) (38%) (35%)
The sample respondents are classified preference place of
purchase personal care product. It is presented in the 4. Clinic Plusb 23 17 20
following table. (38%) (28%) (34%)
Table – 5 Hair Oil:
Preference Place of Purchase No of Respondents Indhulekha 12 12 36
Preference Place of No. of Percentage (20%) (20%) (64%)
Purchase Respondents Soaps:
Nearby store 20 33 1. Rexona 12 16 32
(18%) (26%) (56%)
Malls 15 25 2. Pears 18 22 20
(30%) (36%) (34%)
Department stores 25 42 3. Dove 17 20 23
Total 60 100 (28%) (34%) (38%)
4. Lux 12 23 26
Source: Primary Data (18%) (38%) (44%)
5. Hamam 23 17 20
Table 5 reveals that respondents 33 percent of the (38%) (28%) (34%)
respondents are purchase to Nearby Store. 25 percent of the 6. Life buoy 23 14 23
respondents are purchasee in Malls.42 percent of the (40%) (20%) (40%)
respondents purchase in Departmental stores. Hence it can Oral Care:
be concluded that as high as 42 percent of the respondents
1. Pepsodent 18 24 18
are Preference place to purchase the departmental store.
(30%) (40%) (30%)
2. Close – Up 22 16 22
6. REFERENCE ON THE PERSONAL CARE
(38%) (24%) (38%)
PRODUCTS OF HUL FOR THE RESPONCENTS
Preference on the personal care products of HUL Perfumes:
Brand/Level of Most Preferre Less 1. Axe 20 15 15
Preference Preferre d Preferre (32%) (24%) (44%)
d d 2. Rexona 11 23 26
Skin Care: (16%) (40%) (44%)
Source: Primary Data

All Rights Reserved © 2018 IJSEM 630

 ISSN (Online) 2456 -1304

International Journal of Science, Engineering and Management (IJSEM)

Vol 3, Issue 4, April 2018

Table 6 disclose that the respondents mostly prefer ponds, CONCLUSION

fair & lovely, and lakme in skin care brand. Clear and clinic
plus in hair care brand, dove, hamam, life buoy in soap
brand. Close – up in oral care brand. Axe in perfumes are
mostly preferred personal care product for the respondents.
LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
The study depends upon the primary data collected from the
respondents in Thoothukudi city. All sorts of limitation
applicable to primary data are applicable to the present
study too. Information as reported by respondents might be
prejudiced. Respondents of Thoothukudi alone have been
included in the sample. Hence, while generalizing the
results caution is to be excercised.
FINDINGS
The following are the major findings arrived from the
analysis
1. Calculating that 70% of the Female respondents are using
HUL Personal care product.
2. Concluded that as high as 74% of the respondents age fall
in the category of Below 20- 30.
3. This study reveals that majority of respondents are
unmarried.
4. Most of the 30% of the respondent‟s educational status
are graduate and post graduates.
5. Majority of the respondents occupation 40 percent of the
students.
6. The 62 percent of the respondents spend on personal care
product for each month Rs. 100 – 500.
Fast moving consumer goods are essential for the people in
their day to day life. Their importance is giving the
personality oriented benefits to the consumers. The study
reveals that ponds, Fair & Lovely, Lakme, clear, dove,
Hamam, close – up and axe are the preferred brands of
personal care products of Hindustan Unilever Limited
provide Satisfaction to the consumers in the way of price,
Quality and availability of the product. It is also association
between the variables selected and the level of satisfaction
of the consumers.
REFERENCE:
1. Ashok Yakkldevi(2003) “consumer behaviour
among woman with special reference to cosmetics” Vol.:
1(1), pp 1-5.
2. Banu Rekha. M and Gokila. K (2005) “A study on
consumer awareness, attitude and preference towards herbal
cosmetic products with special reference to Coimbatore
city”, International Journal of Interdisciplinary and Multi
Disciplinary studies (IJJMS), Vol.: 2, No.4, pp 96-100.

SUGGESTIONS

 Personal care product should pay more attention to

male segments, as results of the study proves that
male shop less in compared to female. So
companies should device the policies and strategies
to attract more number of people in this segment in
future.
 Personal care product should not target only
specific age group of people like teenagers and
adults. They must target all and give more attention
to above 20 -30 yrs age group people. So that all
people can use HUL products.
 The most of purchasing the personal care products
for the graduates and post graduates use in HUL
product. So company‟s special attention to the all
consumers and most specify attention to graduates
and post graduates consumers.

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