A STUDY - Senthil Nathan

7/31/2019 A STUDY - Senthil Nathan

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International Journal of Sales & Marketing

Management Research and Development (IJSMMRD)

ISSN 22496939

Vol.2, Issue 2 June 2012 17-33

TJPRC Pvt. Ltd.,

A STUDY ON CONSUMER PREFERENCE OF NATURAL PERSONAL CARE

PRODUCTS IN CHENNAI REGION FOR ADOPTING GREEN MARKETING

1C.SENTHIL NATHAN & 2 K. MALAR MATHI

1Asisstant Professor, Care School of Business Management,Thayanoor Village, Trichy-620 009

Research Scholar, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. India.

2Associate Professor, Bharathiar School of Management & Entrepreneurship Development

Bharathiar University, Coimbatore ,Tamil Nadu. India.

ABSTRACT

Indian Metrological Department on its annual climate summary declared that 2010 was the warmest

year since 1901. The annual mean temperature averaged over the country as a whole was 25.8023

degrees Celsius in 2010. This translates to an increase of 0.93 degrees over the average for the 30-year

period from 1961-1990. The previous record was achieved in 2009, when the annual mean temperature

averaged over the country in its entirety was 25.7876 degrees Celsius. The departures from the normal

were more than one degree Celsius over most parts of northern and central India, while they were

between zero and one degree over the rest of the country. This indicates global warming is reality and

happening and the imperativeness of adopting Green Marketing in various product categories. Green

marketing consists of all activities designed to generate and facilitate any exchanges intended to satisfy

human needs or wants, such that the satisfaction of these needs and wants occurs with minimal

detrimental impact on the natural environment. This research paper focuses on green marketing in home

care and personal care product category. It studies consumer preference of natural bath soap, Detergent,

tooth paste, surface cleaner, facewash and shampoo in Chennai. Understanding consumer awareness,

preference, purchasing habits, reasons for preference of natural products is crucial for successfully

adopting green marketing in a product category. Descriptive Research Design is adopted for the study

and Judgment- purposive sampling is used for the study. Analysis is done using statistical tools such as

Chi-square, Anova, Annacova and Paried t-test. Interesting findings were obtained and suggestions

given.

KEY WORDS: Global warming, Green Marketing, Natural Home and Personal care products,

Preference

INTRODUCTION

Indian Metrological Department on its annual climate summary declared that 2010 was the warmest

year since 1901. The annual mean temperature averaged over the country as a whole was 25.8023

degrees Celsius in 2010. This translates to an increase of 0.93 degrees over the average for the 30-year

period from 1961-1990. The previous record was achieved in 2009, when the annual mean temperature


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A Study on Consumer Preference of Natural Personal

Care Products in Chennai Region for Adopting Green Marketing18

averaged over the country in its entirety was 25.7876 degrees Celsius. The departures from the normal

were more than one degree Celsius over most parts of northern and central India, while they were

between zero and one degree over the rest of the country. This indicates global warming is reality and

happening and the imperativeness of adopting Green Marketing in various product categories. It is theresponsibility of all stakeholders of business such as customers, marketers, suppliers, government to go

green to evade further temperature rise that will lead to natural calamity.

Ottman 1993 Davis 1993 and Kangun 1994 defines Green marketing consists of all activities

designed to generate and facilitate any exchanges intended to satisfy human needs or wants, such that the

satisfaction of these needs and wants occurs with minimal detrimental impact on the natural

environment. This research paper focuses on green marketing in home care and personal care product

category. It studies consumer preference of natural bath soap, Detergent, tooth paste, surface cleaner,

facewash and shampoo in SouthChennai. Understanding consumer awareness, preference, purchasing

habits, reasons for preference of natural products is crucial for successfully adopting green marketing in

a product category.

LIST OF TABLES

TABLE

No

NAME

1 NATURAL PERSONAL CARE PRODUCTS PURCHASER DETAILS

2 NATURAL PERSONAL CARE PRODUCT CATEGORY WISE PURCHASE

DETAILS

3 AGE CATEGORY OF DRIVERS /TOOTH PASTE PURCHASE REASON CROSS

TABULATION

4 TOOTH PASTE PURCHASE REASON ANOVA RESULTS

5 BATH SOAP PURCHASE REASON ANOVA RESULTS

6 HOUSE HOLD INCOME CATEGORY OF PURCHASERS * TOOTH PASTE

PURCHASE REASON -ANOVA

7 TOOTH PASTE PURCHASE REASON ANOVA RESULTS

8 BATH SOAP PURCHASE REASON -ANOVA RESULTS

9 Educational qualification of respondents * eco-friendly and saves earth Cross

tabulation

10 Chi-Square Test- Results

11 WEIGHTED ARITHMETIC MEAN FOR PURCHASERS TO INDICATE WHEN

THEY WILL INCREASE THE CONSUMPTION OF NATURAL PERSONAL CARE

PRODUCTS

12 WEIGHTED ARITHMETIC MEAN FOR PURCHASE REASON FOR

PURCHASERS


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C.Senthil Nathan & K. Malar Mathi 19

13 NON-PURCHASERS RESPONSE FOR WILLINGNESS TO BUY ECO-FRIENDLY

VARIANT WHEN INTRODUCED IN THEIR PURCHASING BRAND

14 ANNACOVA RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN WILLINGNESS TO BUY ECO-

FRIENDLY VARIANT & INCOME CONTAMINATION VARIABLE-MAJORAGE GROUP OF NON-PURCHASERS

15 ANNACOVA RESULTS TABLE

16 PAIRED SAMPLE STATISTICS

17 PAIRED SAMPLE T-TEST

REVIEW OF LITERATURE

Though discussed in 1970s it was only in late 1980 the idea of Green Marketing emerged. There

was rapid increase in green consumption at this point of time(ken peattie & Andrew cane 2005).

Natural personal care market is growing at 15% annually for past 10 years globally. That is significant

growth as whole personal care market is growing at 3% Natural is still a ambiguous term. Natural

product cannot be defined unless natural ingredient is defined. If we say product is natural and naturally

processed meaning it is not synthetic and synthetically processed. Organics have been defined mostly the

word organic is used for food products. It crosses over rarely in personal care products(Nancy jeffries

2007). Eco-consciousness is now an expectation and that numerous brands across categories are in a race

to see who can be greenest. Erdman (2008). Consumer concerns about the environment have been on

the increase in recent years (Chitra, 2007). The green movement has so much momentum that the term

going green had 15.6 million hits on Google in January 2008 (Erdman, 2008) and 31 million hits just

over two months later. Marketing practitioners and academics attempt to identify and understand green

consumers and their needs, and to develop market offerings that meet these needs (DSouza e.t al, 2007).

There is little consensus about the identity and nature of green consumers. Understanding and predicting

environmental behavior has proved to be remarkably difficult(Peattie,2001).There is evidence to suggest

that consumers are price and quality sensitive when it comes to buying green . Other researchers have

attempted to identify green consumers profiles with an intention to characterize green market segments

using demographic variables and they have been able to categorize them as being young, well-educated

and affluent urban dwellers. In comparison, Jolibert and Baumgartner found that although green

consumers were younger and more highly educated, their green attitude was not income related.( Clare

D Souza, Mehdi Taghian Rajiv Kosla ,2007). Environmental knowledge involves what people know

about the environment and the beliefs that they hold about key environmental aspects or impacts. The

theory reveals that consumers who are knowledgeable about the problems of the environment will be

motivated towards green purchase(Fryxell and Lo,2003). It was found out by research that customers

give more importance to quality of green products and willing to offer higher prices. For marketers of

green products, the challenge lies in how to identify environmental beliefs and values consumers hold

about green products in order to target them. For those consumers who do not currently purchase green

products, the question is whether and how they can be motivated to become potential green consumers.


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(Clare D Souza, Mehdi Taghian Rajiv Kosla ,2007). Consumers may have a favorable attitude

towards green products but if cost of green products exceed its benefits they are not willing to buy green

products(Ken piatte,2001). Poll findings also show that a majority of US consumers are environmentally

conscious but their concerns are not brought out in their purchase decisions (Roberts, 1996). Ethicaldimension of green marketing requires a balance between product performance and environmental

sustainability. Natural personal care products blend aesthetics and environmental science. Marketing of

environmental friendly personal care products involves complicated sense of aesthetics one that invokes

connection between health and beauty. This aesthetics is based on beauty and reflects eco-cost of

product.(Anne Marie Todd,2004) . Despite downturn in 2009 user demand for eco-friendly personal

care and Detergent products remained robust in mature markets and has continued to grow in emerging

markets. In personal care, laundry detergent and home cleaning products the challenge lies in how far

can we go green without compromising on performance.(De Guzman, Dorris 2010). Consumers with

higher education levels are more inclined to buy green.(Mintel 2008). The Boston Consulting Group

(Manget 2009) reported that a consumer will not pay for a product based solely on its green attribute,

that there must be some added value to the product such as better taste, better safety, or to help the

customers save money

RESEARCH GAPS

Previous researchers focuses on consumer concern over environment resulting purchase behaviour,

price and quality of green products but research on consumer awareness and preference of specific

product categories such as home and personal care products is not done on Indian context in a particular

city or region. Research also did not explore the reasons behind purchase of Natural or Eco-friendly

personal and home care products. Though research is done on demographic variables of purchasers of

green products results are based on general context and not in specific product category.

RESEARCH OBJECTIVES

(1) To understand the awareness level, purchase level of herbal/natural green products and its eco-

friendliness among consumers.

(2) To comprehend age, income, education has any relationship with reasons of buying natural personal

care products

(3) To understand the reasons for purchase of herbal/natural or green products that is majorly purchased

by consumers. To identify sales promotional tools that can increase consumption among purchasers.

(4) To identify the relationship between educational qualification and purchasing natural personal care

products for eco-friendly reasons..

(5) To assess the product category preference and purchase of natural personal care, home care products

by non-buyers of herbal/natural products when eco-friendly variant is introduced by same brand they

are purchasing.


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RESEARCH DESIGN

(5.1). Descriptive Research Design: is concerned with research studies with a focus on the

portrayal of characteristics of a group or individual or situation. The main objective is to acquire

knowledge. This research study is conducted to gather knowledge about purchasers of green personalcare products and studies reasons behind purchase. It also studies about purchase behaviour of non-

purchasers of green personal care products when a green variant is introduced in the same brand they are

purchasing.

SAMPLING METHOD

Judgment Sampling-Purposive Sampling:

The sample is chosen so that a particular research purpose or objective is served and is adequate for

it. The sample is typical rather than representation. Purposive sampling is a type of judgment sampling.

The sample is chosen in such a way it should have purchasers of Natural personal care products

among the target audience. The retailers of Natural personal care products are interviewed and based on

their information residences in and around 10 kms range of retailer is chosen for the study, so the target

audience will include purchasers of Natural personal care products to satisfy the research purpose. Thus

sampling uses judgment of researcher and retail experts and samples are chosen so particular research

objective or research purpose is served.

PLACE OF STUDY

Research study is conducted in south Chennai in Adyar area. This area has around 10 shops retailing

natural personal care products. Residences within 5 kms radius location of the retails shops in adyar area

is surveyed to gather the required information.

SAMPLE SIZE

A total of 75 samples (residences) had been surveyed out of which 9 questionnaires was rejected due

to incomplete data. And final sample size is 66 residences from adyar area in Chennai region.

PRODUCT CATEGORIES

The product categories focused by the research study includes bath soaps, detergents, tooth paste,

surface cleaner, face gel, shampoo.

ANALYSIS & INTERPRETATION:

NATURAL PERSONAL CARE PRODUCTS PURCHASER DETAILS


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Table 1.0

Frequency Percentage

Purchaser 33 50%

Non-Purchaser 33 50%

Total 66 100%

INTERPRETATION: Out of sample size of 66, 50% were purchasers of natural personal care products

and other 50% were non-purchasers of natural personal care products.

(NATURAL PERSONAL CARE PRODUCT CATEGORY WISE PURCHASE DETAILS

Table 2.0

Product Category

Frequency of

Different product

category purchased

Percentage

Detergent 2 3.8%

Bath Soap 18 34%

Shampoo 7 13.2%

Tooth Paste 21 39.6%

Surface Cleaner 0 0%

Face gel 5 9.4%

Total 53 100%

INTERPRETATION: Tooth paste is the most widely purchased product in natural personal care

product category followed by shampoo as revealed by the study.

(10.3) ANNOVA:

HYPOTHESIS: There is no significant relationship between Age and Reason for purchasing Natural

tooth paste.


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AGE CATEGORY OF DRIVERS * TOOTH PASTE PURCHASE REASON

Crosstabulation

Table 3.0

TOOTH PASTE PURCHASE REASON

TotalHealthy

product

with less

chemicals

eco-friendly

product

Healthy and

eco-friendly

product

Gives better

resluts than

regular

product

AGE

CATEGORYOF DRIVERS

20 - 30 3 5 4 1 13

31 - 40 5 1 5 0 11

41 - 50 1 2 2 2 7

ABOVE 61 0 0 1 1 2

Total 9 8 12 4 33

ANOVA RESULTS


Table 4.0

Sum of

Squaresdf Mean Square F Sig.

Between Groups 5.097 3 1.699 1.745 .180

Within Groups 28.236 29 .974

Total 33.333 32

As significance is above .05, HYPOTHESIS IS ACCEPTED.

HYPOTHESIS: There is no significant relationship between Age and Reason for purchasing Natural

Herbal soap.

INTERPRETATION: Customers age does not have any relationships with the reason for purchasing

natural/herbal tooth paste.

ANOVA RESULTS AGE CATEGORY OF DRIVERS * BATH SOAP PURCHASE REASON


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HYPOTHESIS: There is no significant relationship between age category of respondents and natural

bath soap purchase reason.

BATH SOAP PURCHASE REASON ANOVA RESULTS

Table 5.0

Sum of


Between Groups 3.568 3 1.189 2.248 .104


Total 18.909 32

As significance is above .05, HYPOTHESIS IS ACCEPTED.

INTERPRETATION: Customers age does not have any relationships with the reason for purchasing

natural/herbal BATH SOAP.

HOUSE HOLD INCOME CATEGORY OF PURCHASERS * TOOTH PASTE PURCHASE

REASON- ANOVA

HYPOTHESIS: There is no significant relationship between income and Reason for purchasing

Natural Herbal soap

Table 6.0 Cross tabulation


TotalHealthy

product

with less

chemicals

eco-friendly

product

Healthy and

eco-friendly

product

Gives better

results than

regular

product

HOUSE HOLD

INCOME

CATEGORY

OF

PURCHASERS

10001-20000 3 1 2 1 7

20001-30000 3 5 4 0 12

30001-40000 2 1 4 2 9

ABOVE 41000 1 1 2 1 5

Total 9 8 12 4 33


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ANOVA

TOOTH PASTE PURCHASE REASON-ANOVA RESULTS

Table 7.0

Sum of


Between Groups 2.360 3 .787 .736 .539

Within Groups 30.974 29 1.068

Total 33.333 32

As significance is above .05, Hypothesis is Accepted

INTERPRETATION: Income does not play a role in influencing purchase reason for Natural/Herbal

Tooth paste.

(10.6)HOUSE HOLD INCOME CATEGORY OF PURCHASERS * BATH SOAP PURCHASE

REASON-Anova

HYPOTHESIS: There is no significant relationship between income and Reason for purchasing Natural

Herbal soap

ANOVA

BATH SOAP PURCHASE REASON ANOVA RESULTS

Table 8.0

Sum of

Squares df Mean Square F Sig.

Between Groups 1.363 3 .454 .751 .531


Total 18.909 32

Hypothesis is Accepted.

Income does not play a role in influencing reason for purchasing natural/herbalbath soap.

CHI-SQUARE

HYPOTHESIS: There exists relationship between educational qualification and reason for purchasing

green product for eco-friendliness


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Table 9.0 Educational qualification of respondents * eco-friendly and saves earth

Cross tabulation

eco-friendly and saves earth Total

2 3 4 5

educational

qualification of

respondents

UG 1 6 17 1 25

PG 0 1 2 2 5

OTHERS 0 1 2 0 3

Total 1 8 21 3 33

Chi-Square Tests -Results

Table 10.0

Value df

Asymp. Sig.

(2-sided)

Pearson Chi-Square 7.218(a) 6 .301

Likelihood Ratio 5.555 6 .475

N of Valid Cases 33

Hypothesis is accepted.

INTERPRETATION: Depending on educational qualification respondents vary in their opinion for

purchasing green products for eco-friendliness.


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(10.8)WEIGHTED ARITHMETIC MEAN FOR PURCHASERS TO INDICATE WHEN THEY

WILL INCREASE THE CONSUMPTION OF NATURAL PERSONAL CARE PRODUCTS

Table 11.0

S.No STATEMENT

STRONGLY

DIS AGREE

I

DIS

AGREE

II

NEITHER

AGREE NOR

DISAGREE

III

AGREE

IV

STRONGLY

AGREE

V

TOTAL WAM

1 Home delivery

option is

available

1 5 24 2 1 33

Wx 1 10 72 8 5 96 2.90

2 Quantity

Discount is

available

1 7 16 8 1 33

wx 1 14 48 32 5 100 3.03

3 product has

unique ingrediant

1 14 4 12 2 33

wx 1 28 12 48 10 99 3

4 Free gifts are

available

7 5 16 3 2 33

wx 7 10 48 12 10 87 2.63

INTERPRETATION: Weighted Arithmetic mean infers PURCHASERS will increase the consumption

of Natural personal care products when QUANTITY DISCOUNT IS AVAILABLE.

(10.9) WEIGHTED ARITHMETIC MEAN FOR PURCHASE REASON FOR PURCHASERS

Table 12.0

SNO STATEMENT

STRONGLYDIS AGREE

I

DISAGREE

II

NEITHERAGREE

NORDISAGREE

III

AGREE

IV

STRONGLY AGREE

V

TOTAL WAM

1 Eco-friendly &saves earthx

0 1 9 22 3 35 3.77

wx 0 2 27 88 15 1322 Chemical less

when comparedto other products

0 5 14 14 2 35

WX 0 10 42 56 10 118 3.373 Yields quick

results whencompared tonormal products

1 4 16 14 0 35

WX 1 8 48 56 0 113 3.234 Solves health

problems thannormal products

0 10 12 13 0 35

WX 0 20 36 52 0 108 3.085 It is of very high

quality3 3 16 13 0 35

WX 3 6 48 52 0 109 3.11


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INTERPRETATION: Weighted Arithmetic mean infers .The major purchase reason for purchasing

natural personal care products was eco-friendly and saves earth.

ANALYSIS OF NON-PURCHASERS

(10.10) NON-PURCHASERS RESPONSE FOR WILLINGNESS TO BUY ECO-FRIENDLY

VARIANT WHEN INTRODUCED IN THEIR PURCHASING BRAND

Table 13.0

S.No.Statement

Definitely BuyProbably

Try the productNot Sure

Probably will

not buy

Freq % Freq % Freq % Freq %

1 Tooth Paste 2 6.9 2 6.9 25 86.2 0 0 29

2 Bath Soap 2 6.9 17 58.6 9 31 1 3.4 29

3 Detergent 2 6.9 4 13.8 19 65.5 4 13.8 29

4 Shampoo 1 3.4 19 65.5 5 17.2 4 13.8 29

5 Surface

Cleaner

2 6.9 6 20.7 15 51.7 6 20.7 29

6 Face Gel 2 6.9 6 20.7 20 69 1 3.4 29

INTERPRETATION: The table articulates Bath Soap and Shampoo are the product categories in

which Non-Purchasers are willing to buy eco-friendly variant when introduced by their same

manufacturer in which they buy their brand.

(10.11)ANNACOVA RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN WILLINGNESS TO BUY ECO-FRIENDLY

VARIANT & INCOME CONTAMINATION VARIABLE-MAJOR AGE GROUP OF NON-

PURCHASERS

Table 14.0

INCOME Rs.10,000 Rs.30,000 Rs.30,000 & Above

PRODUCT CATEGORY X Y X Y

TOOTH PASTE 12 6 17 9

BATH SOAP 11 6 17 9

DETERGENT 11 5 15 7

SHAMPOO 10 4 14 9

FACE GEL 11 4 17 9

SURFACE CLEANER 17 5 12 9

TOTAL 72 30 92 52

MEAN 12 5 15.33 8.3


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H0: Willingness to buy eco-friendly variant by Non-Purchasers does not depend on Income

Y- Contamination or Uncontrollable variable. Major Age group of Non-purchasers.

Correction factor for X= 2241.33, Y=560.33 XY=1120.67

ANNACOVA TABLE

Table 15.0

DF SS FOR X SS FOR Y SS FOR XY

BETWEEN GROUP 1 33.33 7.33 36.67

WITHIN GROUP 9 53.67 40.34 2.67

10 87.00 47.67 39.34

DF SS MS F

BETWEEN GROUP 1 1.04 1.04

WITHIN GROUP 9 53.49 5.94 0.18

V1=1, V2=9 TV=5.11 CV=0.18

CV < TV Accept Hypothesis.

INTERPRETATION: Non-Purchaser willingness to purchase eco-friendly variant does not depend on

Income.

Regression of X on Y on b= 2.67/40.34=0.07

GROUP 1(Rs.10,000 Rs.30,000)= 5 - 6.85= - 1.85

GROUP 2(Rs.30,000 & Above )= 8.7 - 6.85= 1.85

Adjustment of y on G1= 12 0.07(-1.85)=12.13

G2=15.33-0.07(1.85)=15.2

INTERPRETATION: Since Group 2(Rs.30,000 &Above) has 15 NON-Purchasers willing topurchase eco-friendly variant if introduced by their manufacturer after removing the influence of age of

non-purchasers, this group should be targeted by the manufacturers.

T-test for buying intension of natural tooth paste & bath soap by Non-purchasers:

HYPOTHESIS: There is so significant difference between Non-Purchasers response for buying

intension for Natural tooth paste and Natural bath soap.


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Paired Samples Statistics

Table 16.0

Mean N Std. Deviation

Std. Error

Mean

Pair 1 Buying

intension of

tooth paste

3.3103 29 .54139 .10053

Buying

intension of

bath soap

3.8966 29 .40925 .07600

Paired Samples Test

Table 17.0

Paired Differences t dfSig. (2-

tailed)

MeanStd.

Deviation

Std.

Error

Mean

95% Confidence

Interval of the

Difference

Lower Upper

Pair

1

Buying

intension of

tooth paste

Buying

intension of

bath soap

-.5862 .50123 .09308 -.7769 -.3955 -6.298 28 .000

As significance is less than .05 Hypotheses is rejected.

There is significant difference between Non-Purchasers response for buying intension for Natural

tooth paste and Natural bath soap.


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INTERPRETATION: Non-purchasers differ in their opinion between buying intension of Natural

tooth paste and buying intension of Natural bath soap. Both products dont have same buying

requirements.

IMPERATIVE FINDINGS:

(1) Out of sample size of 66, 50% were purchasers of natural personal care products and other 50%

were non-purchasers of natural personal care products. Hence 50% of the population were aware and

buying natural personal care products. More emphasis should be given on creating awareness about

natural personal care brands.

(2) Tooth paste is the most widely purchased product in natural personal care product category

followed by bath soaps as revealed by the study. Focus should be done on other product categories

to increase awareness and purchase.

(3) Customers age does not have any relationships with the reason for purchasing natural/herbal tooth

paste, bath soap. Healthy product with less chemicals, eco-friendly product, Healthy and eco-

friendly product, Gives better results than regular product are reasons given for purchasing

Natural/herbal product, respondent age did not have any influence on the above stated reasons for

purchasing the product

(4) Income does not play a role in influencing purchase reason for Natural/Herbal Tooth paste, bath

soap.Healthy product with less chemicals, eco-friendly product, Healthy and eco-friendly product,

Gives better results than regular product are reasons given for purchasing Natural/herbal product.

Respondent income did not have any influence on the above stated reasons for purchasing the

product.

(5) Depending on educational qualification respondents vary in their opinion for purchasing green

products for eco-friendliness. A person choosing natural/personal/eco-friendly product for its eco-

friendliness vary with his or her education level. If higher the education level such as UG more

inclination towards purchase for eco-friendly reasons.

(6) Weighted Arithmetic mean infers the major purchase reason for purchasing natural personal care

products was eco-friendly and saves earth. It implies personal care products are majorly purchased

for eco-friendly reasons followed by reduced usage of chemicals.

(7) Weighted Arithmetic mean infers PURCHASERS will increase the consumption of Natural personal

care products when QUANTITY DISCOUNT IS AVAILABLE. Quantity discount can be tried as

sales promotional tool by Natural/personal/herbal personal care product manufacturers in increase

the consumption among purchasers

NON-PURCHASERS

(1). Bath Soap and Shampoo are the product categories in which Non-Purchasers are willing to buy

eco-friendly variant when introduced by their same manufacturer in which they buy their brand. Normal


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personal care manufacturers should focus on developing eco-friendly variant in bath soap and shampoo

categories as there was more demand for this categories by Non-purchasers.

(2) Annacova reveals Non-Purchaser willingness to purchase eco-friendly variant does not depend on

Income. Rs.30,000 &Above income group should be targeted among Non-purchasers as they buy

natural personal care products for eco-friendly reasons at higher level.

MANAGERIAL IMPLICATIONS

1. Out of the sample surveyed 50% were purchasers of natural personal care products, so emphasis

should be given for creating awareness and usage of natural personal care product.

2. Tooth paste and Bath soap were most widely used product categories, but on other product

categories there was minimal usage or no usage focus should be on developing communication

program for creating awareness and usage.

3. As found out by previous study of Clare D Souza, Mehdi Taghian Rajiv Kosla ,2007 this study also

confirms purchase reasons of natural personal care products is not related to income. Previous

studies had found green product purchasers are young in this study also maximum number of

respondents purchasing natural personal care products belong to 20 to 30 age group but reason for

purchasing natural personal care product does not depend on age. Education level of respondents

influences the purchase reason of natural personal care products. Companies for immediate increase

in sales should focus on young and educated people, government and natural personal care

companies should focus on educating other groups for increasing sales in long run.

4. Manufacturers can promote their products using eco-friendliness as USP(Unique selling proposition)

as majority of respondents have stated eco-friendliness and saves earth as the reason for

purchasing natural personal care products. This angle is not explored by any natural personal care

and home care manufacturers till now in India.

5. Purchasers of natural personal care products will augment consumption if Quantity discount is

given by manufacturers.

6. Non-purchasers are willing to buy eco-friendly variant of their same brand if introduced in bath soap

and shampoo categories. Normal manufacturers of personal care and home care products shouldfocus on bath soap and shampoo product categories to introduce eco-friendly variant of their brands.

7. Among Non-purchasers Rs.30,000 & above income group are majorly willing to purchase eco-

friendly variant so this group should be targeted initially by normal manufacturers of personal care

products to introduce eco-friendly variant.

CONCLUSIONS

The research paper had articulated the imperativeness of going green in present global warming

scenario. The study reveals awareness should be created for natural personal care products and shows

there is market opportunity for natural personal care products if introduced by commercial or normal


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manufacturers of personal care products. Thus the objectives set forth for the study had been analyzed

and results interpreted.

REFERENCES

BOOKS

1. hilip kotler, Kevin lane keller, Abraham koshy, Mithileshwar Jha (2009) , Marketing Management

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2. acquelyn A.Ottman(1998) , Green Marketing opportunity for Innovation, NTC Business Books

3. oof Man woody(2008), Climate change what is your business strategy?, Harvard Business Press.

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