MARKETING RESEARCH

Indian Products Limited

Submitted to:
Dr. M R Suresh
SDMIMD, Mysuru

Submitted by: Group 5

Rishitha - 18022
Sandeep BT - 18023
Adarsh K - 18031
Anjali R Menon - 18033
Harshita J - 18039
Souparnika H P - 18046
 CASE FACTS
• Indian Product Limited was a large Multi-Division
manufacturing and marketing household products
• IPL planning to create new product in the SPORO market
• Market research study: Possibility of Introducing another
brand
• Groundnut Oil brand market 40% to 45% in SPRO
market
• Total cooking medium in India : 50 lakh tons
• Bulk packs constituted 4/5th to 5/6th
• Bulk packs of oils and Vanaspati were major phenomenon
• Two trends in SPRO market
1.The SPRO market was either stagnant or declining
2.Increasing brand proliferation in SPRO market
CASE FACTS
• IPL R&D introduced new oils in SPRO market
• Two base oil for developing the brand
1. Sunflower Oil
2. Corn Oil
• New brands claimed some specific consumer
benefits
Research Purpose
To explore the possibility of introducing another brand of refined
cooking oil in small packs of one to four – five kilograms.
Opportunities:
IPL executives felt that a second brand offering distinct consumer
benefits (particularly related to its health) could help the company in
i) Capturing a substantial share of health conscious segment.
ii) Increase overall share of IPL in SPRO market. IPL, therefore,
was interested in introducing a new brand in the SPRO market.
Problems:
IPL executives observed two trends in the SPRO market over the last
few years.
• Firstly, the SPRO market was either stagnant or declining.
• Second trend observed was of increasing brand proliferation in
the SPRO market.
Research Users
• IPL executives
• R&D cell of IPL 
Research Boundary
• The research is limited to three localities in the
city of Ahmedabad.
Research Objective
• To explore the opportunity of introducing a new
brand of refined cooking oil in SPRO market.
• Feasibility in introduction of cooking oil in small
packs of one to four/five kilograms.
• To understand the best product concept in terms
of consumer appeal/acceptance, if there is an
opportunity for that introduction.
Sample Size

• The team had planned for 60 respondents, out of which the received only 50 responses.

Research Phases:

• Phase 1: Used for identifying a concise list of important product attributes and consumer
benefits. Out of 18 attributes identified, 8 attributes were finalized and others were discarded.

• Phase 2: Used to generate a large number of product concepts on the basis of important
attributed identified in Phase 1 and screening the same to arrive at table product concepts.

The 4 concepts finally selected were:

 P1: For general fitness and easy digestibility, eat food cooked in refined sunflower oil, with
high poly saturated fatty acids it keeps your family healthy and active all through the day.

 P2: And now fry twice the number of puris is lesser amount of oil. Brand X of refined
sunflower oil cooks more food in less oil. It was affordable.

 P3: Corn is high in protein. Use rich golden colour refined corn oil for energy nutrition

 P4: We all like food that is easy and keeps family healthy and fit. Refined corn oil, popular all
over the world, provides fitness and taste – just like ‘ makai ki roti’.

• Phase 3: The purpose of this phase is to achieve the overall objectives of the research.
Market scenario decision alternatives
Criteria of choice
• What does the consumer prefer branded refined oil or unbranded?
• If branded, whether available in loose form or packed
• Price is one of the factors which determines the consumer preference over available substitutes
such as refined oil manufactured under different brands.
• The health benefits which the company claims are considered while purchasing. For example IPL
(Indian Product Limited) claims to produce oil which on consumption has low levels of
cholesterol in blood.
• Special offers provided by the company.
• In what pack sizes of refined oil is available and most bought from retailer for household
consumption.
 Questionnaire for consumer Research
1) What cooking medium(s) do you use? 2) Have you used “Packed Refined” Oil in the past?
• Pure Ghee • Yes
• Butter • No
• Vanaspati
Relevant Question for the research. This might lead to order
• Flavored Oil bias
• Refined Oil – Loose
• Refined Oil – Packed Tin 3) Which brand of refined oil are you using at present?

The study was to find out the type of refined oil they use, so • Dalda refined oil
Puree ghee, Butter and Flavored oil is irrelevant. • Goldnut
The researcher is making an Surrogate information error. • Saffola
• Godrej
• Any Other (Please specify)
This is a relevant question.
Helps in strategizing their new brand based on the most
preferred brand by consumers.
 Questionnaire for consumer Research
3b) Which brand of refined oil have you used in the past? 4) Some housewives have indicated that while buying
• Postman refined oil they considered the following features. Could
• Dalda refined oil you kindly indicate how important each of these
features are to you?(Giving Ranks)
• Goldnut • Taste
• Saffola • Good for Health
• Godrej • Energy and Nutrition
• Digestibility
• Any Other (Please specify)
• Purity
Relevant as we can analyze if there is any change in consumer • Color
preference. But in order to avoid unintentional data error, “Past” • Odor
has to be defined. • Keepability of food
3c) What packs of refined oil are you using?
• 16 KG Relevant Question –(Rank Order Scale)
Digestibility cannot be measured.
• 4 KG
• 2 KG
• 1 KG
Relevant question as per the objective of introducing
cooking oils in 1-5 kg packs
 Questionnaire for consumer Research
5) We would like to know your views about (mention current brand indicated in Q.3a)
(Explain the scale: For each feature, there are two extreme opposite responses. If you agree very strongly with the responses on the
left side give a rating of 5)
• If you agree strongly with the response on the left side give a rating of 4.
• If you are neutral, between the two extremes, give a rating of 3.
• If you agree strongly with the responses on the right side give the rating of 2.
• If you agree very strongly with the responses on the right side give the rating of 1.
Overall Good 5 4 3 2 1 Overall Bad
Oil Oil
Semantic Differential Scale Very Tasty           Bad Taste
Good for           Bad for Health
Health
Too many data asked simultaneously. Nutritious           Not Nutritious

Nice colour can vary from person to person. Easily           Difficult to

Digestible digest
Pure           Not Pure
Nice Colour           Undesirable
Colour
Pleasant           Unpleasant
Odour Odour
Food Stays           Food does not
Long stay long
 Questionnaire for consumer Research
6) Would you like to mention any other likes/dislikes 8) If your favorite brand is not available with the store
regarding (brand as indicated in 3a) where you usually make your purchase, most probably
what will be your response? Please indicate the most
May be helpful in knowing customer behavior towards various appropriate statement on this card.
brands and factors which made them like or dislike a product. • I will look at other stores until I find the brand.
But this is not relevant to our objective • I will wait till this brand comes to my store.
• I will look at one or two other stores and buy the
available one.
7)Why do you use the current brand?
• I will buy another brand from the same store
• This is exactly the product I always wanted to use.
• This is the best available brand.
• It is a force of habit This question will help the company in identifying
proper distribution strategies also the level of loyalty
• There is really no choice
towards a product.
Relevant Question, helps to know the buying behaviour of the Also helps to identify the willingness of the customers
customers to buy a new product.
 Questionnaire for consumer Research
9 (a) Now we would like to know your views about some other brands of refined oil (Ascertain views about the three brands
that not used in Q.5)
9 (b) a leading refined oil company is planning to introduce some new types of refined oil we would like you to get your
views regarding these different types of refined oils.
It is A Multidimensional Scale and the question is too complex to understand
The question Is time consuming

Overall rating
B1 B2 B3 B4 P1 P2 P3
Taste
             
Health
             
Energy and Nutrition
             
Digestibility
             
Purity
             
Colour
             
Odour
             
Food Stays long
             
 Questionnaire for consumer Research
Concepts
10) What do you think are Remarks
the main advantages/disadvantages or features of these new product concepts?
P1
P2
P3
P4

Question is a little complex and time consuming.

11) Which statements on this card comes closest to your opinion of this products compared to other brands of refined oils you
have used or heard about and also the new products we have just talked about?
• There are other refined oils which are exactly the same as this products
• There are other refined oils which are almost similar to this one
• There are other refined oils which are somewhat similar but rarely that same as this one
• This refined oil is quite different from current refined oils

Likert Scale. Question is very complex, it should be a little simple.

 Questionnaire for consumer Research
12) Here are some statement listed in this card. Which is the statement which comes closest to your idea of this product?
(Present Card1 and also P1) Present P2, P3,P4 also one after the other)
• This product is impossible
• May be its possible but does not sound very real
• It should be possible for a good company to manufacture this product
• This product is definitely possible
• Such a product already exists
Nominal Scale-This is not relevant to the customers.
Customers will start using a product once it is introduced into the market, hence asking such questions are irrelevant.
13) Please tell me which of the statement listed in this card is closest to describing how you feel about buying this product if it
were available at your nearest store?

The options in this question is seems confusing and similar. Respondents might fail to understand the difference in those terms.
If understood then it will be relevant, so it can be made simpler.
Can track the willingness of consumers to buy a new product.
 Questionnaire for consumer Research
14) Relevant questions from a research analyst perspective.

Classification information asked in the end as per the question sequence.

Funnel approach followed overall.
Also Difficult questions asked at the end
IRP (Information Requirement Planning)
Table
Source of Information (Parameters) Primary/ Secondary Information points Measurement Approach

Community P Brand preferences, Purpose, Health concerns, Questionnaire

consumer benefits, features/ attributes

Age P Brand preferences, Purpose, Health concerns, Questionnaire

consumer benefits, features/ attributes

Occupation P Brand preferences, Purpose, Health concerns, Questionnaire

consumer benefits, features/ attributes

Education P Brand preferences, Purpose, Health concerns, Questionnaire

Consumer benefits, Features/ attributes
 RECOMMENDATIONS
• Questionnaire should have been clear, simple and not lengthy.
• Redundancy in the questionnaire(regarding question 9(a) and
question 5, also 9(b) and 10th question) should have been avoided.
Also the questions are too complex and time consuming.
• Questionnaire lacked to data regarding the price the customers are
willing to pay for the product.
• Also, the semantic differential scale used in question 5 does not
differentiate between the ratings (4 & 5) and similarly (2 & 3).
• As it is an FMCG product, it was necessary to obtain data relating to
monthly purchases i.e. data regarding consumption.
THANK YOU