DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS

ADMINISTRATION

PROJECT REPORT
IMPACT OF PACKAGING ON CONSUMER BUYING
BEHAVIOUR

1
 INDEX
Chapter no. Title of Page no.
content

1 Introduction 9 – 11
2 Objectives of 12 - 13
the study

3 Limitations of 14 – 15
the study

4 Methodology 16 – 17
of the study

5 Data analysis 18 – 37
and findings
of the study

6 Executive 38 – 40
summary and
conclusion
7 Annexure 41 - 45

2
 CHAPTER – 1
INTRODUCTION

3
 INTRODUCTION
Packaging is the science, art and technology of enclosing or protecting products for
distribution, storage, sale, and use. Packaging also refers to the process of designing,
evaluating, and producing packages. Packaging can be described as a coordinated system
of preparing goods for transport, warehousing, logistics, sale, and end use. Packaging
contains, protects, preserves, transports, informs, and sells. In many countries it is fully
integrated into government, business, institutional, industrial, and personal use.

In this competitive environment the role of package has changed due to increasing self-
service and changing consumers’ lifestyle. Package becomes an ultimate selling proposition
simulating impulsive buying behaviour.

Purpose of packaging:

 Physical protection - The objects enclosed in the package may require protection from,
among other things, mechanical shock, vibration, electrostatic discharge,
compression, temperature ,etc.

 Barrier protection - A barrier to oxygen, water vapour, dust, etc., is often

required. Permeation is a critical factor in design. Some packages
contain desiccants or oxygen absorbers to help extend shelf life. Keeping the contents
clean, fresh, sterile and safe for the duration of the intended shelf life is a primary
function.

 Containment - Small objects are typically grouped together in one package for reasons
of storage and selling efficiency. Liquids, powders, and granular materials need
containment.

 Information transition - Packages and labels communicate how to use,

transport, recycle, or dispose of the package or product.
With pharmaceuticals, food, medical, and chemical products, some types of
information are required by government legislation. Packages may indicate their
construction material with a symbol.

 Marketing - Packaging and labels can be used by marketers to encourage potential

buyers to purchase a product. Package graphic design and physical design have been
important and constantly evolving phenomena for several decades. Most packaging is
designed to reflect the brand's message and identity.

4
 Security - Packaging can play an important role in reducing the security risks of
shipment. Packages can be made with improved tamper resistance to deter
manipulation and they can also have tamper-evident features indicating that tampering
has taken place. Packages can be engineered to help reduce the risks of package
pilferage or the theft and resale of products: Some package constructions are more
resistant to pilferage than other types, and some have pilfer-indicating seals.

 Convenience - Packages can have features that add convenience in distribution,

handling, stacking, display, sale, opening, reclosing, using, dispensing, reusing,
recycling, and ease of disposal

 Portion control - Single serving or single dosage packaging has a precise amount of
contents to control usage. Bulk commodities (such as salt) can be divided into
packages that are a more suitable size for individual households. It also aids the
control of inventory: selling sealed one-litre bottles of milk, rather than having people
bring their own bottles to fill themselves.

5
 CHAPTER – 2
OBJECTIVES OF THE
STUDY

6
Objectives

By doing this project work and conducting a public survey,

we hope to learn the following things:

 To study the role of packaging while purchasing a

product

 To find out how packaging influences buyer/consumer

 To analyse the different aspects of packaging

 To find out how informative the contents are on the

package of a product

7
 CHAPTER – 3
LIMITATIONS OF THE
STUDY

8
Limitations of the study:

 The sample size is limited to 102 respondents

 The research may not be accurate as the consumer

behaviour varies from one another

 The study is concerned about people who are influenced

by the packaging and its aspects

 This study is limited within the boundary of India.

9
 CHAPTER – 4
METHODOLOGY OF
THE STUDY

10
Study methodology

 Sample size – 102

 Sampling technique – random sampling

 Sources of data
Most of the data used for the purpose of this study
where collected from the primary source using structured
questionnaire
Secondary data was used from various articles and
websites over the internet

11
 CHAPTER – 5
DATA ANALYSIS
AND FINDINGS OF
THE STUDY

12
Gender
Gender Respondents Percentage

Male 80 78%
Female 22 22%
Total 102 100%

Gender
Male Female

Female
22
22%

Male
80
78%

Observation:
From the above data it is observed that 78% of the people, who
took the survey, are male, and 22% of them are female.
Inference:
It is clear that majority of the people who took the survey are
male

13
Age
Age Respondents Percentage
Below 18 4 4%
19 – 25 50 49%
26 – 30 9 9%
Above 30 39 38%
Total 102 100%

below 18
4 Age
4%

above 30 below 18
39
38% 19 - 25
26 - 30
19 - 25
50 above 30
49%

26 - 30
9
9%

Observation:
From the above data, it can be observed that 49% of people are aged
between19-25, 38% of the people are aged above 30, 9% of people
are aged between26-30, and the rest 4% of the people are aged
below 18.

Inference:
It is clear that the age group of 19-25 took part mostly in the survey
Occupation

14
 Category Respondents
Student 49
Working 23
Professional 18
Other:
Home-maker 3
Business 5
Consultant 1
Ex-army 1
Retired-employee 1
Self-employed 1

Occupation
Self-employed

Retired employee

Ex-army

Consultant

Business

Home-maker

Employee

Working

Student

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

Observation:
15
 From the above data it can be observed that, students are
48%, working people are 22%, professionals are 18%, 5% are
business people and rest of the people fall under 7%.

Inference:
It is clear from the above data that majority of the
respondents are students.

Which of the following aspects do you give more

importance when buying a product?
16
Category Respondents Percentage
Product quality 88 86%
Package 0 0%
Price 10 10%
Brand loyalty 4 4%
Total 102 100%

Which of the following aspects do you give more

importance when buying a product?
Brand loyalty
Price 4
10 4%
10%

Package
0
0% Product quality
Package
Price
Brand loyalty

Product quality
88
86%

Observation:

17
 From the above data it can be observed that among the
various aspects of product 86% of the people prefer product
quality, 10% of them prefer price , 4% of them prefer brand
loyalty and none of them prefer packaging.

Inference:
It is clear that the packaging of product doesn’t have any
importance compared to product quality and price, while
purchasing a product.

18
Does the packaging of a product influence your
purchase?
Category Respondents Percentage
Yes 87 85%
No 15 15%
Total 102 100%

Does the packaging of a product influence

your purchase?
No
15%

Yes
No

Yes
85%

Observation:
From the above data it is observed that 85% of the
people are influenced by the packaging of a product and for
15% of them it doesn’t.

Inference:
The packaging of a product influences most of the
people while purchasing the product.

19
If yes what are the factors that influence your
purchase?

Category Respondents Percentage

First impression 43 35%
Brand name and 49 40%
logo
Structural deign 29 23%
Others:
Quality of 3 2%
package

If yes what are the factors that influence your

purchase?

Quality of package 3

Structural design 29

Brand name and logo 49

First impression 43

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

20
Observation:
From the above data among the various factors of
packaging, first impression influences 35% of the people,
structural design influences 40% of them, structural design
influences 23% and quality of package influences 2% of them

Inference:
Out of various factors of the packaging brand name and
logo influences most of them.

Do you retain the package of a product?

21
Category Respondents Percentage
Yes 20 20%
No 21 20%
Sometimes 61 60%
Total 102 100%

Do you retain the package of a product?

Yes
20
20%

Yes
No
No
Sometimes 21 Sometimes
61 20%
60%

Observation:

From the above data 60% of the people sometimes retain the
package, 20% of people retain the package, and 20% of
people do not retain the package.

Inference:
It is clear that most of the people retain the package of the
product but not all the time

22
If yes do you buy a product because of the re-usability
of its package?
Category Respondents Percentage
Yes 11 13%
No 48 56%
Maybe 26 31%
Total 85 100%

If yes do you buy a product because of the

re-usability of its package?

Yes
11
Maybe
13%
26
31% Yes
No
Maybe
No
48
56%

Observation:
From the above data 13% of the people buy the product
because of the re-usability of its package, 56% do not, and
31% of them may or may not.

Inference:
Most of the people do not buy the product because of the re-
usability of the package

23
Do you find the details on the product informative?
Category Respondents Percentage
Yes 88 86%
No 14 14%
Total 102 100%

Do you find the details on the product

informative?

No
14
14%
Yes
No
Yes
88
86%

Observation:
From the above data 86% of the people find the details on
the package informative, and 14% do not.

Inference:
It is clear that most of the people find the details on the
package informative.

24
If yes what kind of information you preferably look for?
Category Respondents
Manufacturing details 49
Product description 48
Ingredients 50
Product expiry 76

If yes what kind of information you

preferably look for?

Product expiry 76

Ingredients 50

Product description 48

Manufacturing details 49

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80

Observation:
From the above data among the various types of
information product expiry has 76 responses, ingredients
have 50 responses, product description has 48 responses, and
manufacturing details has got 49 responses.

Inference:
It is clear that most of the people preferably look for
product expiry and ingredients.
How will you rate the following aspect of packaging?
25
(1 – Least important to 5 – most important)

Category 1 2 3 4 5
Labelling 10 12 37 16 27
Colour 11 18 41 17 15
Shape 10 17 41 14 20
Size 3 21 31 28 19
Convenience 6 6 31 18 41

45
41 41 41
40 37

35
31
30 28
27
1
25 2
21
20 3
19
20 18 18
17 17 4
16
15
14 5
15 12
11
10 10
10
6 6
5 3

0
Labelling Colour Shape Size Convenience

26
Observation:
From the above data, among the various aspects of
packaging labelling has highest rate of 3, colour has highest
rate of 3, shape has highest rate of 3, size has highest rate of 3
and convenience has highest rate of 5.

Inference:
It is clear that people give more importance to the
convenience in packaging.

27
Please indicate the degree of agreement for the
following

Category Agree Neutral Disagree

Packaging 67 34 1
of a product
must be
attractive
Loyalty in 49 45 8
brand based
on
packaging
Good 82 18 2
packaging of
a product
enhances
production
Innovation is 78 22 2
important in
packaging
Products of 61 34 7
leading
brands are
better in
terms of
packaging

28
 90

80

70

60

50
Agree
40
Neutral
30
Disagree
20

10

0
Packaging of a Loyalty in brand Good packaging Innovation is Products of
product must based on of a product important in leading brands
be attractive packaging enhances packaging are better in
promotion terms of
packaging

Observation:
From the above data it can be observed that most of the
people agree to all the given features of packaging such as
attractive package, brand loyalty based on packaging, product
promotion through packaging, innovation in packaging and
leading brands with better packaging.

Inference:
It is clear that most the people agree that good packaging
of a product enhances promotion.

29
Are you willing to pay extra money for better quality of
package?
Category Respondents Percentage
Yes 48 47%
No 54 53%
Total 102 100%

Are you willing to pay extra money for better

quality of package?

Yes
48 Yes
No
47%
54 No
53%

Observation:
From the above data it can be observed that 47% of the
people are willing to pay extra money for better packaging
and 53% of them are not.

Inference:
It is clear that most of the people are not willing to pay
extra money for better packaging.

30
Would you recommend well packaged product to
others?
Category Respondents Percentage
Yes 60 59%
No 7 7%
Maybe 35 34%
Total 102 100%

Would you recommend well packaged

product to others?

Maybe
35
34%
Yes
No
Yes Maybe
60
59%

No
7
7%

Observation:
From the above data it can be observed that 59% of the
people would recommend well packaged product to others,
7% wouldn’t and 34% may or may not recommend the
product to others.

Inference:
It is clear that most the people are willing to recommend
well packaged products to others.
31
 CHAPTER – 6
EXECUTIVE
SUMMARY AND
CONCLUSION

32
Summary:
 Majority of the people who took the survey were male
 Majority of the people who took part in the survey were aged
between19 to 25.
 Majority of the respondents were students.
 Packaging of a product doesn’t have any importance compared to
product quality and price while purchasing the product.
 From the responses most of the people are influenced by
packaging of a product.
 Most of the people are influenced by brand name and logo from
the factors of packaging.
 Most of the people retain the product package but not all the
time.
 Most of the people do not buy a product because of the re-
usability of its package.
 Most of the people find the details on the package informative.
 Most of the people preferably look for product expiry and
ingredients.
 People give more importance to convenience in packaging.
 Most of the people agree that good packaging of a product
enhances promotion.
 Only few people are willing to pay extra money for better
packaging
 Most of the people are willing to recommend well packaged
product to others.

33
Conclusion:
It could be stated that detail evaluation of package elements their
impact on consumer’s purchase decision, taking into consideration
involvement level, individual characteristics of consumers, is
necessary in order to implement efficient packaging decisions.
Package could be treated as one of the most valuable tool in today’s
marketing communications, necessitating more detail analysis of its
elements and an impact of those elements on consumer’s buying
behaviour.
According to my study I found out that most consumers prefer
the product quality and price while purchasing the packaged
products. Based on those facts we cannot say that there is a 100%
relationship between good package and good product quality. But
there is a positive thinking and trend about well designed package
shows high product quality. As a matter of fact people are becoming
more and more demanding, packaging has been gradually gaining
important role in a way to serving consumer by proving information
and delivering functions. With its different functionality to ease and
communicate with consumers, there is no doubt about increasingly
important role of packaging as a strategic tool to attract consumers’
attention and their perception on the product quality.

34
CHAPTER – 7
ANNEXURE

35
 QUESTIONNAIRE
Part - A
1. Name:

2. Age: 18 and below 19-25 26-30 above

30

3. Gender: Male Female Others

4. Occupation: Student Work Professional

Others
Part – B
5. Which of the following aspects you give more importance
when you buy a product?
Product quality
Package
Price
Brand loyalty

6. Does the packaging of a product influence your purchase?

Yes No

7. If yes, what are the factors that influence your purchase?

First impression Brand name and logo
Structural design Others_______________

8. Do you retain the package of the product for reusing?

Yes No Sometimes

36
 9. If yes do you buy a product because of the reusability of its
package?
Yes No Maybe

10. Do you find the details on the package of the product

informative?
Yes No

11. If yes what kinds of information you preferably look for

Manufacturing details
Product description
Ingredients
Product Expiry
Others _______________

12. How will you rate the following aspects of packaging?

(1- least important to 5 - Most important)

1 2 3 4 5
Labelling

Colour

Shape

Size

Convenience

37
13. Please indicate the degree of agreement for the following

Agree Neutral Disagree

Packaging of a product
Must be attractive

Loyalty in brand
Based on packaging

Good packaging
Of a product enhances
Promotion

Innovation is important
In packaging

Products of leading
Brands are better in terms
of packaging

14. Are you willing to pay extra money for better quality of
package?
Yes No

15. Would you recommend a well packaged product to others?

Yes No Maybe

38
REFERENCES:
Wikipedia – http://en.wikipedia.org
Slideshare – http://www.slideshare.net
Surveymonkey – http://www.surveymonkey.com
Scribe – http://www.scribe.com
Researchgate – http://www.researchgate.net

39