International Journal of Sales & Marketing Management

Research and Development (IJSMMRD)

ISSN(P): 2249-6939; ISSN(E): 2249-8044
Vol. 7, Issue 1, Feb 2017, 35-42
TJPRC Pvt. Ltd.

A STUDY ON IMPACT OF PRODUCT PACKAGING ON CONSUMER

BUYING BEHAVIOUR WITH REFERENCE TO COIMBATORE CITY

V. RANGANATHAN1 & K. MANGAIYARKKARASI2

1
Assistant Professor in Commerce, Arignar Anna Government Arts College, Cheyyar, Tamil Nadu, India
2
Assistant Professor, PG and Research Department of Commerce with CA,
Hindusthan College of Arts and Science, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India
ABSTRACT

As E-commerce is year-by-year growing its proportions in the total sales in retail, the importance of packaging is
also increasing. Packaging has been defined as an activity which is concerned with protection, economy, convenience and
promotional considerations. Packaging is the technology of enclosing or protecting products for distribution, storage,
sale, and use. Packaging is a key part of the marketing plan for any business that makes or sells products. It also
influences the consumer buying habit. Packaging advancements in the early 20th century increased processing efficiency
and thus leads to organizations improved performance and functionality. Package design and development are often
thought of as an integral part of the new product development process. This study portrays the impact of product

Original Article
packaging on consumer buying behavior with reference to Coimbatore city, for which the sample size has been chosen is
100.

KEYWORDS: Protection, Economy, Convenience and Promotional Considerations

Received: Dec 01, 2016; Accepted: Dec 31, 2016; Published: Jan 06, 2017; Paper Id.: IJSMMRDFEB20174

INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY

Consumer behavior is a blend of Economic, Technological, Political, Cultural, Demographic and natural
factors as well as his own characteristics which are reflected by his attitude, motivation, perception, personality,
knowledge and lifestyle. Marketers can rationalize their existence only when they are able to understand consumer
behavior. Consumers often make snap judgments when making purchase. How a product is packaged may be the
deciding factor of whether they make the purchase or not. According to Business Insider, First impressions
generally talk about making subsequent judgments based on quick information. A brand is represented by the
product packaging, the same as ones office, employees, and websites and so on. Packaging represents brands
promise to deliver a quality experience.. A products package can be the selling point for many consumers by
delivering a sense of quality while also reflecting the products brand image. It is critical in retail sales, where the
right packaging design can attract the consumer's eye and make the product stand out next to a rack of the
competitor's product. Effective packaging design can draw consumer attention, resulting more time looking at
attractive packaging when making purchase decisions. Research suggests that at least a third of product decision
making is based on packaging, along with personal preferences.

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36 V. Ranganathan & K. Mangaiyarkkarasi

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

To know the tastes and preferences of consumer towards the packaging style of various products.

To find out the expectations of consumer regarding the package of food products.

To identify the impact of packaging style in decision- making / buying behavior of consumer and to offer suitable
suggestions regarding packaging methods to the company products.

REVIEW OF LITERATURE

Ulrich et.al., (2010), studied package design is an integral part of projecting a brand image, which is sometimes
designed to convey images of high quality, while at other times signaling affordable prices.

Rita Kuvykaite (2009), studied descriptive research. According to Rita, package attracts consumers attention to
particular brand, enhances its image, and influences consumers perceptions about product. Also package imparts unique
value to products works as a tool for differentiation, i.e. helps consumers to choose the product from wide range of similar
products, and stimulates customers buying behavior. Thus package performs an important role in marketing
communications and could be treated as one of the most important factors influencing consumers purchase of package, its
elements and their impact on consumers buying behavior became a relevant issue.

Liang (2008) studied that packaging as a good tool for the product. According to the University of Halsted
School, Packaging is useful for practical purposes as well as for communication of those information which is on the
product. That not serves a functional purpose but it will also use as a mean of the communication of the information the
products and brand character. Packaging must be functional, it must be protect the products in storage, transferring and also
in used. Another function is to given the customers the ease access and used on the purpose of convenience.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Area chosen for the present study is Coimbatore City as it has a high residential density. It is an industrial town
and second largest city in the state of Tamil Nadu. Sample size indicates the number of respondents involved in the study.
For the current study the sample size chosen is 100. Proportionate sampling has been chosen for this study. Primary Data is
the data observed or collected directly from first-hand experience and it is the data originally obtained through the direct
efforts of the researcher through surveys, interviews and direct observation. The Primary data for the study is collected
through interview schedule. Interview schedule is assisted by the questionnaire which is a list of a research or survey
questions asked to respondents and designed to extract specific information. Apart from primary data this research is based
on books like periodical journals, documentations and other sources like internet, car manufacturers websites, etc.

STATISTICAL TOOLS USED

The 2 test (pronounced as chi-square test) is one of the simplest and most widely used non-parametric tests in
statistical work. It is used to make rigid assumption about the distribution of the population from which samples are being
drawn and Analysis of variance (ANOVA) is a collection of statistical models used in order to analyze the differences
among group means and their associated procedures (such as "variation" among and between groups), developed by R. A.
Fisher.

Impact Factor (JCC): 5.9231 NAAS Rating: 3.37

A Study on Impact of Product Packaging on Consumer 37
Buying Behaviour with Reference to Coimbatore City

ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION

Table 1: Personal Profile of the Respondents

S. No Particulars No of Respondents Percentage
Male 44 44
1 Gender Female 56 56
Total 100 100
Below 30 years 54 54
30-40 years 22 22
2 Age 41-50 years 10 10
Above 50 years 14 14
Total 100 100
School Education 14 14
Collegiate education 84 84
3 Educational Qualification
Illiterate 2 2
Total 100 100
Business/Profession 12 12
Government
8 8
employee
4 Occupational Status Private employee 34 34
Agriculturist 16 16
Others 30 30
Total 100 100
Source: Primary data

While analyzing the personal profile of the respondents, from the above table it is evident that from the sample
size 100, 44% of the respondents are male and 56% of the respondents are female and 54% of respondents are in the age
group of below 30 years, 22% of the respondents are in the age group of 30-40 years, 10% of the respondents are in the age
group of 41-50 years and 14% of the respondents are in the age group of above 50 years and, 14% of the respondents have
school education,84% of the respondents have collegiate education, and 2% of the respondents are illiterate, 12% of the
respondents are professionals or doing their own business, 34% are private employees, 8% are government employee, 16%
are agriculturist 30% are students and house wives and others.

It can be inferred that majority (56%) of the respondents are female, majority (54%) of the respondents are in the
age group of below 30 years, and majority (84%) of the respondents are having Collegiate Education and most (34%) of
the respondents are private employees.

Table 2: Place of Buying Products

Buying Provisions No of Respondents Percentage (%)
Departmental store 24 24
Supermarkets 16 16
Retail markets 36 36
Malls 24 24
Total 100 100
Source: Primary Data

Table 2 shows the place of product buying of the respondents. 24% of the respondents buy the products in
departmental stores, 16% in supermarkets, 36% in retail markets, and 24% of in malls. It is the inferred that majority (36%)
of the respondents buy the products in retail markets.

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38 V. Ranganathan & K. Mangaiyarkkarasi

Table 3: Perception of the Respondents about Need of Packaged Products

Particulars No of Respondents Percentage (%)
For all products 40 40
For some type of products 38 38
Not preferred at all 2 2
For medical products 20 20
Total 100 100
Source: Primary Data

The above table shows that 40% of respondents suggest that packaging is safe and it is needed for all products,
38% suggest only for some type of products, 2% not preferred at all and 20% of respondents suggest for medical products.
It is inferred the majority (40%) of the respondents choose for all products in packaging preference.

Table 4: Reason to Buy Packaged Products

Reasons No of Respondents Percentage (%)
Hygiene 18 18
Quality 14 14
Better 12 12
Reliability 16 16
Safety 40 40
Total 100 100
Source: Primary Data

From the above table it is clear that 18% of the respondents buy packaged products because of hygiene factor,
14% of the respondents go for quality and12% of the respondents go for betterment of the products, 16% of the
respondents say for reliability and 40% of the respondents buy packaged products for the safety of the products.
It is inferred that the majority (40%) of the respondents buy packaged products for product safety.

Table 5: Rank Given by the Respondents for Elements of Packaging

Source: Primary Data

Impact Factor (JCC): 5.9231 NAAS Rating: 3.37

A Study on Impact of Product Packaging on Consumer 39
Buying Behaviour with Reference to Coimbatore City

INTERPRETATION
Note

First rank given a score of 10, II rank score of 9, III rank score of 8, IV rank score of 7, V rank score of 6, VI rank
score of 5, VII rank score of 4, VIII rank score of 3, IX rank score of 2, X rank score of 1.

WS denotes weighted scores.

Ranking was done on the basis of Total Weighted Scores (TWS).

In order to find out the basis of selection of package among respondents ten factors have been considered such as
Manufactured date/ Expiry date, MRP, Directions to use, Warning, Ingredients of the content, Weight/Quality, Consumer
line address, Nutritional labeling, Manufacturing logo and Seal. Respondents were asked to rank all the above mentioned
factors. The data collected have been presented in the table 5. It is clear from the table that the large number of respondents
has given first rank to Manufactured date/ Expiry date, second rank to Weight/ Quality, third rank to Warning, fourth rank
to MRP, fifth rank to Seal, sixth rank to Manufacturer logo, seventh rank to Ingredients of the content, eighth rank to
Nutritional labeling, ninth rank to Consumer line address, tenth rank to Directions to use.

Table 6: Respondents Preference in Packing Style

Particulars No of Respondents Percentage (%)
Color 14 14
Material 20 20
Wrapper design 24 24
Printed Information 14 14
Quality 28 28
Total 100 100
Source: Primary Data

From table 6 it is clear that 14% of the respondents prefer color in packaging style, 20% of respondents prefer
material, 24% of respondents prefer wrapper design, 14% of respondents prefer printed information and 28% of
respondents prefer quality in packaging style. It is inferred that the majority (28%) of the respondents prefer quality in
packaging style.

Table 7: Opinion about Significant Role of Packaged Product

Particulars No of Respondents Percentage (%)
Yes 72 72
No 28 28
Total 100 100
Source: Primary Data

The respondents were asked whether product packaging plays a significant role in their buying decision.
Table 7 shows that 28% of the respondents said No and 72% of the respondents responded yes. It is inferred the majority
(72%) of the respondents feel that packaging plays a significant role in their buying decision.

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40 V. Ranganathan & K. Mangaiyarkkarasi

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS
Analysis of Variance One Way Classification Model

Analysis of variance is used to test the effect of independent factors on response variable of interest. Let us take
the hypothesis that there is no significant difference between respondents gender and factors preferred in packaged
product.

Table 8: Respondents Gender and their Preference on Packaging Style

Wrapper Printed
Gender Color Material Quality Total
Design Information
Male 4 6 16 4 14 44
Female 10 14 10 10 12 56
Total 14 20 26 14 26 100
Applying analysis of variance technique, we get

Table 9: Anova One Way Classification Table

Source of Variation Sum of Squares Degrees of Freedom Mean Squares Ratio of f
Between samples 72 4 18
1.022
Within samples 88 5 17.06

The table value for degrees of freedom are 4 and 5, at 5% level of significance is 2.87. The calculated value of f is
less than the table value. Hence the Hypothesis is accepted and it can be found that the difference between the respondents
gender and factors preferred in packaged product is not significant.

Chi-Square Test

Chi-Square tool is applied on assuming the null hypothesis that education qualification of the respondents affects
their opinion about relevancy of packaging style of the product and their buying behavior.

The hypothesis is tested by Chi-Square as given below:

Table 10: Educational Qualification and Opinion about Significant Role of Packaged Product
Role of Packaging School Education Collegiate Illiterate Total
Yes 8 64 Nil 72
No 6 20 2 28
Total 14 84 2 100
Source: Primary data

Applying Chi-Square Test

Table 11: Educational Qualification and Opinion about Significant Role of Packaged Product
2 value Degrees of Freedom Table Value Significance
64.69 4 5.99 NS
Level of significance: 5%

Since the calculated value of Chi-Square (64.69) is higher than the table value (5.99) the null hypothesis is
rejected and it can be concluded that education qualification of the respondents and the opinion of the respondents about
packaging style of the products has no relation.

Impact Factor (JCC): 5.9231 NAAS Rating: 3.37

A Study on Impact of Product Packaging on Consumer 41
Buying Behaviour with Reference to Coimbatore City

SUGGESTIONS AND CONCLUSIONS

From the above findings a significant amount of suggestions can be drawn that the consumer prefers packed
products. From the overall study it is clear that packaging style of a product affect the buying behavior, irrespective of the
range of the education qualification. Eco-Friendly packs are not available in all places so it is necessary to improve the
availability of eco-friendly packaged products. The finding of our research packaging role and its influence on consumer
buying behavior shows the following results. From the research it is find out that packaging are the important elements
which highly influence the consumer buying behavior. Packaging describe information about product like where it was
made, when it was made, what it contains, and how it to use etc. The package elements are the most important factor to
influence the consumers purchase decision.

REFERENCES

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2. GUPTA, S.P. - Statistical Methods, Sulthan Chand & Sons, New Delhi, 1990.

3. KOTHARI.C.R. -Research Methodology -Methods and Techniques, Second revised Edition, New Age International
Publishers, 2004.

4. SARAVANAVEL.P-Research Methodology, KitabMahal, 16th Edition, 2005.

5. HAWKINS BEST CONEY -Consumer Behaviour, Building Marketing Strategy, Eighth Edition, Tata McGraw Hill
Publication, Delhi.

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