A Project Report

On

Consumer Perception towards Washing

Powder / Detergent

Submitted in the fulfilment of the requirement of +3 3 rd Year (Commerce)

By

RADHA GOBINDA DALAI

Exam Roll Number:
031903CM002 Class Roll

Number: BC19-016 Under

the guidance of

Dr. Kalipada Munda

(Professor of Commerce)
 CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that the project report entitled

“Consumer Perception towards Washing Powder /
Detergent” submitted by RADHAGOBINDA DALAI
bearing Examination Roll Number BA2115016 for the
award of Bachelor degree in Commerce has been
prepared under my guidance and supervision.

I further certify that this work has not been

published anywhere or submitted to any other
university by the scholar for the said degree.

To the best of my knowledge the project report is

an original piece of work and is adequate for
consideration for the award of the degree for which it is
submitted.

Berhampur

Date:

Signature of the Guide

 DECLARATION

I hereby declare that this Project Report entitled

“Consumer Perception towards Washing Powder /
Detergent” submitted to Binayak Acharya College,
Berhampur for the award of Bachelor Degree in
Commerce, is an original record of independent work
done by me under the guidance and supervision of
Dr. Kalipada Munda, Professor of Commerce and
that this work has not been submitted either in whole or
in part elsewhere for the award of any other degree.

Berhampur

Date:

Signature of the candidate

Exam Roll Number:

 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would like to express my gratitude to my guide

Dr. Kalipada Munda, Professor of Commerce who has
guided me and provided me such opportunity to undertake this
project report. He has provided such an opportunity and
motivation to gain knowledge through this type of project
work. This will help me a lot in my career.

I am also thankful to my parent, my friends who gave their

full-fledged co- operation for successful of my project.

Berhampur

Date:

Signature of the candidate

 ABSTRACT

Due to rapid urbanization. emergence of small

pack size and sachets. the demand for the household
products is flourishing. With the increase in per capita
income and wide range of choices being available, the
consumers are mainly focusing on these products. The
companies are finding it difficult to survive orto retain
their market share due to changing trends in demand
and high peak competition. In order to lure the
consumers, companies study the quantity being
purchased by the customers and at what price. Here, I
am trying to confine myself to the detergent market
and find out how certain factors affect the demand of
consumers for detergent.

Keywords: consumer preference, purchase intention,

customer satisfaction, brand position, price, consumer
psychology and peer influence.
 CONTENT

Sl.No CHAPTER- 1 INTRODUCTON

1-4 Meaning of Detergent
5-14 Detergent Brands
15 Market Shares of Detergent
15-17 4 P’S ANALSIS
CHAPTER- 2 HISTROY AND COMPONENTS
18-21 History of Detergent
21-22 Types of Compositions of Detergent
22-23 Chemical Classification of Detergent
24 Major application of Detergent
CHAPTER- 3 RESEARCH
25-27 Research Objectives
27 Market Research
28-29 Types of Marketing Research
29-30 Marketing Strategies of all the measure brands
30-31 Future
CHAPTER- 4 STATISTICAL ANALYSIS
32-41 Statistical Analysis
42-44 SUGGESTION & CONCLUSION
45 BIBLIOGRAPHY
CHAPTER – I
Introduction
 CONSUMER PERCEPTION TOWARDS WASHING
POWDER / DETERGENT

MEANING

Detergent is a material used to assist cleaning. The term “detergent’ Is

sometimes intended to differentiate between soap and other surfactants used for
cleaning. It refers specifically to clothing detergent rather than hand soaps or
other types of cleaning agents. Plain water Is used to ml\ detergent for cleaning
purposes. Probably the most widely used detergents are soaps or mixtures
composed chiefly of soaps. However, not all soaps have significant detergency
and although the words “detergent’ and “soap’ are sometimes used
interchangeably, not all detergents are soap. This terminology Is sometimes used
to refer to any surfactant, even when it is not used for cleaning. So, it shouldbe
avoided as long as the term “surfactant’ itself Is available. The size of the
detergent market is estimated to be Rs. 12.000 Crores.

A detergent is a surfactant or a mixture of surfactants with cleaning

properties in dilute solutions. These substances are
usually alkylbenzene sulfonates, a family of compounds that are similar
to soap but are more soluble in hard water, because the polar sulfonate (of
detergents) is less likely than the polar carboxylate (of soap) to bind to calcium
and other ions found in hard water.

In most household contexts, the term detergent by itself refers specifically

to laundry detergent or dish detergent, as opposed to hand soap or other types of

1
cleaning agents. Detergents are commonly available as powders or concentrated
solutions. Detergents, like soaps, work because they are amphiphilic:
partly hydrophilic (polar) and partly hydrophobic (non-polar). Their dual nature
facilitates the mixture of hydrophobic compounds (like oil and grease) with
water. Because air is not hydrophilic, detergents are also foaming agents to
varying degrees.

DETERGENT MARKET IN INDIA

The Indian fabric wash products market was a highly fragmented one.
There was a sizeable unorganized sector. Of the 23 lakh-ton market, laundry
soaps and bars made from vegetable oils accounted for around seven lakh tons
with synthetic detergents making up the rest. Detergent cakes accounted for 40%
of the synthetic detergent used, while powder accounted for the rest. Washing
powders were categorized into four segments - economy (selling at less than
Rs.25 per kg), mid-priced (Rs.25 - Rs. 90 per kg), premium (Rs. 90 - Rs. 120 per
kg) and compact (selling at over Rs. 120 per kg). The compact, premium and
medium-priced segments together accounted for 20% of the volume share and
35% of the value share. The economy segment made up the remaining lion's
share of the market. The fabric wash industry in India was characterized by low
per capita consumption, especially in rural markets. The major players in the
Indian detergent market were HLL, P&G, Nirma and Henkel (through its joint
venture with SPIC, a leading petrochemical company based in the south Indian
city of Chennai).

2
Important inventions over the years of the history of detergents

1950s

● Liquid laundry, hand dishwashing and all-purpose cleaning products

● Automatic dishwasher powders
● Detergent with oxygen bleach
● Fabric softeners (rinse-cycle added)
1960s
● Laundry powders with enzymes
● Prewash soil and stain removers
● Enzyme presoaks
1970s
● Fabric softeners (sheets and wash-cycle added)
● Multifunctional products (e.g., detergent with fabric softener)
● Liquid hand soaps

1980s
● Automatic dishwasher liquids
● Detergents for cooler water washing
● Concentrated laundry powders
1990s
● Ultra (super concentrated) powder and liquid detergents
● Automatic dishwasher gels
● Ultra-fabric softeners

3
 ● Laundry and cleaning product refills
Indian Market
● The Indian laundry market is estimated to be Rs 5,000 crore in size
● Making India world’s third largest detergents market.
● Detergent bars comprise 43 per cent of the total market and
detergent powders comprise the balance 57 per cent.
However, the detergent bar market is shrinking in India

DETERGENT MARKET - OVERVIEW

The Detergent Market is one of the segments of the FMCG market in
India that has high growth potential. The detergent-based segment is divided
into two broad categories - oil-based laundry soaps and synthetic detergents,
including bars, powder, and liquids. The detergent market is mainly
concentrated in the urban areas but the level of penetration in the rural for the
past few years has been good.

DETERGENT MARKET – SEGMENTS

Detergent market in India can be further divided into four sub categories
● Concentrates and Compact Segment for washing machines such as, Surf
Excel, Henko, Ariel, etc.
● Premium Segment such as Surf Excel, Henko, Ariel, etc.
● Mass Premium and Mid Price Segment such as Rin, Mr. White, Tide,
andother regional brands
● Popular Segment such Nirma, Wheel, Chek, 501, etc.

4
DETERGENT MARKET - CONSUMPTION
The detergent consumption in India is less in comparison to the other
Asian countries. The per capita detergent consumption in India is around 2.7 kg
per year, whereas places like Philippines and Malaysia, the per capita
consumption is 3.7 kg, and in USA it is around 10 kgs. The detergent market in
India is expected to have a growth rate of 7 % to 9 % per year in terms of
volume. The major players in the detergent market are the Uni Lever and Nirma.
The Uni Lever dominates the premium and mid-priced segment, and the Nirma
dominates the low-priced segment.

DETERGENT MARKET - GROWTH POTENTIALS

● The penetration level should be enhanced to enable the market to grow at

the rate of 8 to 10 % per year.
● The consumer awareness programs should be launched in the rural areas
in order to increase the per capita consumption in such areas.

DETERGENT BRANDS

Major Players:
● Surf Excel
● Rin
● Arial
● Tide
● Nirma
● Wheel

5
SURF EXCEL
Surf Excel is currently running two campaigns riding on the popularity of
the "Daag Ache Hain" ( Dirt is good) campaign. The new campaign too strikes a
chord with the consumers. Continuing with the earlier campaign, the new ad
features two kids taking a Puddle fight to distract their fighting parents fighting
over a car collision. The voice over says " if something good happens because
of dirt then Dirt is Good". According to a report in agency, the creative team had
a tough task in continuing a classic campaign and no doubt they have been very
successful.
The second campaign takes a cue from the World cup. The ad features a group
of kids preparing for World Cup 2015.

● Launched in 1959 & first in Indian detergent powder mkt.

● It was the first Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) for Detergent.
● Surf was the first brand of detergent that was advertised on TV. It is
advertised on more than 300 channels across the globe .
● Introduced the concept of bucket wash to housewives who up till now used
to washing clothes with laundry soap bars.
● Brand to set up a one-stop shop – called Care line - for people seeking
solutions to their varied laundry problems.
● Surf Excel, launched in 1954, is one of the oldest detergent powders in
India. Initially, the brand was positioned on the clear proposition of
“washes whitest”.
● Surf Excel underwent various changes in its Brand Communication; from
‘Lalita ji' to 'dhoondte reh jaaoge ' to 'jaise bhi daag ho, surf excel hai na ',
and is today communicated on the platform of 'Dhaag achcha hai'.
● 2006 saw a unique marketing move from HLL

6
 ● Rin Supreme bar is being migrated to Surf Excel.
● Right from ‘Lalita ji’, representative of the true-blue cost-conscious Indian
woman, till the inspiring storyboards of today, Surf Excel has done it all
and in style!
● HLL to revise Surf Excel pricing - A change in the pricing strategy for
HLL Surf Excel brand, which dominates the Rs 5,000 crore detergent
powder market, seems to be on the cards.
● HLL is now reworking the Surf Excel strategy by moving away from
positioning the brand on functional benefits, to building an emotional
connect.

TAGLINE
⮩ DIRT IS GOOD

⮩ DAAG ACHE HEIN

RIN
Rin was launched in India as a bar in 1969 with the iconic lightning
mnemonic. Over the years, the brand has grown to become synonymous with
providing ‘dazzling white clothes with one stroke.’

7
In 2016, Rin relaunched a water saving bar in key markets to address the rising
water stress across India. Rin Bar now gives clothes the same dazzling
brightness while saving half the water.

Rin detergent powder was launched in 1994. This was the first product
extension from the iconic brand that stood for whiteness in laundry. We further
introduced Rin Refresh with the fragrance of lemon & rose that penetrates every
fiber to give the same brightness and freshness to boost confidence all day. In
2016, we also added Rin Antibac Powder to our portfolio which promises not
just bright clothes, but also kills 99.9% germs.

TAGLINE
⮩ DUGNI SAFEDI DUGNI CHAMAK

⮩ CHMAKTE REHENA

ARIAL

Ariel is a marketing line of laundry detergents made by Procter & Gamble.

It is flagship branding Gamble's European, Mexican, Japanese, Brazilian,
Peruvian, Turkish, Filipino, and Venezuelan port folios. Ariel first appeared on

8
the UK market circa 1968 and was the first detergent with stain-removing
enzymes. It was a high-sodding powder designed for twin-tub and top-loading
washing machines. With the rise in popularity of automatic front-loading
washing machines, a suitable low-suds variant was launched in the early 1970s.
The mid-eighties saw the range expanding to encompass liquid detergent and
compact powder. The compact powder was originally known as "Ariel Ultra";
and was subsequently reformulated into the nineties as "Ariel Futur". This was
possibly in response to Unilever's launch of the ultimately doomed "Persil
Power ", which was seen to damage clothes. Compact powders never proved
popular in the UK; so, when the tablet variant appeared in July 1999, the
compact version disappeared. In 2003, Ariel brought out its quick wash action to
its detergents, to allow consumers to be able to do their laundry on a quick wash
cycle. In 2006, Ariel started its "turn to 30" campaign to inspire consumers to
wash in cool water so that energy can be saved. Ariel launched a concentrated
version of their liquid detergents named Ariel Power in the spring of 2008.In
October 2008, Ariel launched their new Excel Gel product which can be used in
temperatures as low as 15 degrees Celsius. This product was launched under
Ariel's "cold is the new hot" campaign.

TAGLINE
⮩ CHAMAK RAKHEIN NAYE JAISI
⮩ KEEP SHINING LIKE NEW

9
TIDE

● Tide is the name of a popular laundry detergent in the market of Canada,

the United States and other countries.

● It is manufactured by Procter & Gamble.

● First introduced in test marketed in 1946 with national distribution reached

in 1949

● Tide is the World’s Oldest & Most Trusted Detergent brand and is the
Market Leader in 23Countries around the world.

● The brand regularly introduces new products and technologies to beat the
laundry blues

● Launched in India in mid-2000

● It gives outstanding whiteness due to its anti-redeposition

globaltechnology

● Anti-redeposition Agents help keep soils from re-settling on clothes after

they have been removed during the wash itself

● It offers solution to virtually any stain

● The brand in India being a relatively new entry has only two types of
products namely Tide detergent and Tide bar

● Tide detergent is available in India in packs of 200gm, 500gm, 1kg, 2kg

and 20gm single use sachet.

10
 ● Tide bar is available in 75gm,125gm,200gm bars.

TAGLINE
⮩ TIDE HAI, TOH WHITE HAI

⮩ TIDE PLUS JO DE WHITE PLUS

NIRMA
NIRMA is one of the few names - which is instantly recognized as a true
Indian brand, which took on mighty multinationals and rewrote the marketing
rules to win the heart of princess, i.e., the consumer.

Nirma, the proverbial ‘Rags to Riches’ saga of Dr. Karsanbhai Patel, is a classic
example of the success of Indian entrepreneurship in the face of stiff
competition. Starting as a one-man operation in 1969, today, it has about 14, 000
employee-base and annual turnover is above Rs. 25, 00 crores. India is a one of
the largest consumer economies, with burgeoning middle-class pie. In such a
widespread, diverse marketplace, Nirma aptly concentrated all its efforts
towards creating and building a strong consumer preference towards its ‘value-
for-money’ products.

11
Now, the year 2004 sees Nirma’s annual sales touch 800,000 tones, making it
one of
the largest volume sales with a single brand name in the world. Looking at the
FMCG synergies, Nirma stepped into toilet soaps relatively late in 1990 but this
did not deter it to achieve a volume of 100,000 per annum. This makes Nirma
the largest detergent and the second largest toilet soap brand in India with
market share of 38% and 20% respectively.

TAGLINE
⮩ SABKI PASAND NIRMA, WASHING POWDER NIRMA

WHEEL

Wheel - your smart laundry choice

The largest laundry brand in Bangladesh, Wheel has always been focused
in making laundry a pleasurable and delightful experience for the housewives.
Based on its years of understanding of its consumers and huge experience in
laundry, Wheel has been continually improving its formulation and form to suit

12
the modern-day users. Different formats and pack sizes of Wheel has been
designed to cater to the requirements of users with different family sizes,
laundry requirements and income groups. Wheel Laundry Soap Wheel Laundry
Soap has a perfect formulation that not only gives great clean, but also is gentle
to both hand and cloth. The soap comes in individual shrink wrap designed to
ensure that the consumers receive a fresh soap with great lemon fragrance. The
improved formulation of Wheel Laundry Soap also helps the users to wash a
greaternumber of clothes than the traditional ball soap. Wheel Washing Powder
A dominant market leader in the detergent segment, Wheel Washing Powder is
known for its great cleaning ability with minimum effort. The superior
formulation of Wheel Washing Powder is enhanced with the power of lemon,
which not only removes the tough dirt in your cloth, but also leaves a pleasant
lemon fresh fragrance well after washing. The convenience provided by Wheel
Washing Powder has relieved many housewives from the laborious laundry
process of the traditional Ball Soaps.

TAGLINE
⮩ NIMBU KI SHAKTI AUR HAZARO PHOOLO KI KHUSHBOO;
MEHANGI WALI DHULAI BUDGET MEIN SAMAI

13
GHADI

Ghadi Detergent powder is manufactured by Rohit Surfactants Private

Limited (RSPL), a Kanpur based is more than 5000 crore
diversified conglomerate in India. The detergent brand was founded by
Muralidhar and Bimal Kumar Gyanchandani in 1987. When Ghari was
launched, market was already dominated by big brands like Surf and Nirma.
Over the years since the launch of Ghadi detergent powder, till date there have
been introduction of plethora of brands from biggies like HUL and P&G and
many local players. It came to limelight in late 2012 when it surpassed
HUL's wheel detergent and grabbed top spot in terms of market share. It took
almost 25 years for Ghadi to be the market leader in detergent market. In
November 2012, Ghadi had a 17.4% share compared with Wheel's 16.9%. And
followed by Tide and Henko.

In 1987, a year before Wheel was launched by HUL, without much

attention of media or public, Muralidhar and Bimal Kumar Gyanchandani
launched Ghari detergent in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh. In 1988, Muralidhar and
Bimal Kumar incorporated Shri Mahadeo Soap Industries Pvt. Ltd. under which
they started manufacturing Ghadi detergent. Eventually, Shri Mahadeo Soap
Industries Pvt. changed its name to Rohit Surfactants Private Limited (RSPL) in
June 2005.
[

TAGLINE
⮩ PEHLE ISTEMAAL KARE, FIR VISHWAAS KARE

14
Market Shares of Detergent

4 P’S ANALYSIS:
Product - A product consists of tangible and intangible attributes which satisfy
the need, want and desire of the consumers. The product includes the following
variables:-
● Brand name.
● Product innovation and range.
● Quality, safety and functionality
● Packaging and labeling of the product.
● Style, shape and design.

15
 ● Warranty and services.
Similarly, detergents fall under the category of fast-moving consumer goods that
are needed on daily basis. Consumer preference on detergent products generally
depends on the product’s quality, safety, functionality and packaging of that
product.

Price - A study on various data, regarding the market operations. Is needed in

order to fix a product's selling price. The selling price of a product depends upon
the cast of production, brand position, evaluation of the competitors and the
price perceived by the consumers. The price influences the choice and image of
the product in the consumer’s mind. Price plays a vital role in the sale of a
product and often creates huge impact on both the producers as well as the
customers. Price includes the following variables:-
● Use of pricing policies and strategies.
● Discounts offered so as to attract customers.
● Terms of debit or credit sale.
Sometimes, price of the detergent and other few schemes related to price proves
to be a decisive factor for which consumers prefer an alternative brand.

Promotion - The main target of an organization along with its specialist group
of employees Is to set up promotional campaigns, provide innovative ideas on
advertisements, and come up with lucrative schemes for the promotion of the
product in the market and attract a large number of consumers. Promotion
includes matching up with new trends and technology. Promotions also decide
the segmentation targeting and positioning of the product. The right kinds of
promotions affect all the other three variables - the product, price and place. It
deals with advertising, sales promotion, including promotional education,
16
publicity, and individual selling of a particular product. Promotional activities
are very much necessary for the companies of this industry as it establishes good
rapport with the consumers. Advertising gives information and guidance to
consumers. Along with advertisement, personal selling is also significant and
helpful for motivating the customers to buy a specific product. Certain sales
promotion techniques have a favorable impact on consumer psychology.
Place - It involves physical distribution which means delivery of goods at the
right time and at the right place to consumers. For large-scale distribution of
detergents, the services of wholesalers, retailers and various other market inter-
mediaries are required.

17
 CHAPTER – II
History & Components

18
THE HISTORY OF DETERGENTS
In World War I, there was a shortage of oils. Synthetic detergents were
first made in Germany. Detergents were developed due to the problems that
occurred when organic soap was used in areas of hard water. Hard water
contains the ions of Calcium and Magnesium in high amounts and these are
substituted onto the soap molecule in place of sodium. The salts of Calcium and
Magnesium are insoluble and form a precipitate; tills Is what leaves a 'ring'
around the bath. Other problems were encountered in the textile industry where
acid solutions are used in the dying process. The free H' ions rep bee the sodium
ion reforming the fatty acid which affects the application of dyes and leaves
spots on fabrics.

The first synthetic detergents were developed following the First World War
by the Germans so that fat could be used for other purposes. The first synthetic
detergents were Short-chain Alkyl Naphthalene Sulphonates which were later
discovered to be only moderately good detergents and so were improved, but
are still used today as wetting agents.

In the 1920's and 30's Straight chain alcohols were sulphonated to give straight
chain detergents. In the 30's long chain alkyl and aryl sulphonates with benzene
as the aromatic nucleus were developed. (The alkyl portion was derived from
kerosene) By the end of World War 2 alkyl aryl sulphonates swamped the
detergent market over alcohol sulphates which later became useful in the
shampoo industry. It was a popular complaint at this time that whites dulled
after washing, they weren't as white as white should be and this was linked to
the use of synthetic detergents. Even though they were just as good as soaps at

19
removing dirt, they were poor at holding it in suspension and the particles
redeposited onto the coiling. The problem was overcome by the addition of
CMC (car boxy methyl cellulose).

More recently the limiting factor that affected the production of specific
detergents was availability of raw materials. This leads to the development of
Igepon compounds in Germany and the USA (for example Igepon-T, the sodium
salt of oleyl tauride). Mersolates in Germany (alkane sulphates), and Teepol in
England (a secondary Olefine Sulphate from petrochemical sources).
Alkyl Benzene Sulphonate was top of the market due to its ease of manufacture
and versatility.

Between 1950 and 1965 more than half of the detergents were based on a
propylene tetramer coupled to benzene (PT benzene), but they were later b-med
for a rise in eutrophication in b-kes and streams because they contained
phosphates (from Sodium triphosphate). This problem lias not been fully
resolved in some cases, in some countries their lias been a 'gentlemen’s
agreement' to reduce the use of phosphates but in countries where it is not a
major problem no such action has been taken. The problem was set down to the
branched chain formation of PT benzene which resulted in the inability of
bacteria to degrade them. Straight-chain alcohols are degradable, so steps were
taken to produce a linear alkyl benzene molecule. To replace the phosphate-
based portions; in Scandinavian countries they now use NTA (Nitrilo triacetic
acid).

Laundry detergent, or washing powder, is a substance which is a type of

detergent that is added when one is washing laundry to help get the laundry

20
cleaner. With a new emphasis on green, eco-friendly products, these soap nuts
are becoming popular worldwide as a laundry- detergent & all-purpose cleaner.
Laundry detergent has traditionally been a powdered or granular solid, but the
use of liquid laundry detergents has gradually increased over the years, and the
popularity of liquid detergent now rivals that of solid detergent. Some brands
also manufacture laundry soap in tablets and dissolvable packets, so as to
eliminate the need to measure soap for each load of laundry. In some countries
where washing clot IKS by hand is more popular, detergent bars are more
popular. Recently, environmentally friendly detergents have enjoyed a surge in
popularity.
In 1916, Germany developed the first synthetic detergent. These detergents are
non-soap washing and cleaning products that are made chemically from a
variety of materials.
Nowadays people are using laundry detergent, synthetic detergent, washing
machines & dryers. After 90s the concept of washing came into Pakistan people
use to ash khula powder, later on branded detergents were also launched in
Pakistan that includes Surf excel, Ariel, Express power, Brite total & Bonas.

Types and Compositions of detergents

There are several factors that dictate what compositions of detergent

should be used, including the materials and clothes to be cleaned, the apparatus
to be used and types of dirt. For instance, all of the following ingredients are
used to clean glass and utensils. The sheer range of different detergents, that can
be used, demonstrates the importance of context in the selection of an
appropriate glass-cleaning agent:

21
• A chromic acid solution—to get glass very clean for certain demanding
purposes such as analytical chemistry.
• A high-foaming mixture of surfactants with low skin irritation—for hand
washing of dishware in a sink or dlshpan.

• Any of various non-foaming compositions—-for dishware in a dishwashing

machine.
• Other surfactant-based compositions—for washing windows with a sponge,
followed by rinsing.

• An ammonia-containing solution—for cleaning windows with no additional

dilution.

Chemical classification of detergents

Detergents are classified into three broad groupings, depending on the electrical
charge of the surfactants.

Anionic detergents

Typical anionic detergents are alkylbenzene sulfonates. The alkylbenzene

portion of these anions is lipophilic and the sulfonate is hydrophilic. Two
different varieties have been popularized, those with branched alkyl groups and
those with linear alkyl groups. The former was largely phased out in
economically advanced societies because they are poorly biodegradable. An
estimated 6 billion kilograms of anionic detergents are produced annually for
domestic markets.

22
Bile acids, such as deoxycholic acid (DOC), are anionic detergents produced by
the liver to aid in digestion and absorption of fats and oils.

Cationic detergents

Cationic detergents that are similar to the anionic ones, with a hydrophilic
component, but, instead of the anionic sulfonate group, the cationic surfactants
have quaternary ammonium as the polar end. The ammonium sulfate center is
positively charged.

Non-ionic and zwitterionic detergents

Non-ionic detergents are characterized by their uncharged, hydrophilic

headgroups. Typical non-ionic detergents are based on polyoxymethylene
or a glycoside. Common examples of the former include Tween, Triton, and the
Brij series. These materials are also known as ethoxylates or PEGylates and
their metabolites, nonylphenol. Glycosides have a sugar as their uncharged
hydrophilic headgroup. Examples include octyl thioglucoside and maltosides.
HEGA and MEGA series detergents are similar, possessing a sugar alcohol as
headgroup. Zwitterionic detergents possess a net zero charge arising from the
presence of equal numbers of +1 and −1 charged chemical groups. Examples
include CHAPS.

Three kinds of anionic detergents: a branched sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate, linear sodium

dodecylbenzenesulfonate, and a soap.

23
 Major applications of detergents
Household cleaning

One of the largest applications of detergents is for household cleaning

including dish washing and washing laundry. The formulations are complex,
reflecting the diverse demands of the application and the highly competitive
consumer market.

Fuel additives

Both carburetors and fuel injector components of Otto engines benefit from
detergents in the fuels to prevent fouling. Concentrations are about 300 ppm.
Typical detergents are long-chain amines and amides such as
polyisobuteneamine and polyisobuteneamide/succinimide.

Biological reagent

Reagent grade detergents are employed for the isolation and purification
of integral membrane proteins found in biological cells. Solubilization of cell
membranebilayers requires a detergent that can enter the inner
membrane monolayer. Advancements in the purity and sophistication of
detergents have facilitated structural and biophysical characterization of
important membrane proteins such as ion channels also the disrupt membrane by
binding Lipopolysaccharide, transporters, signaling, and photosystemII.

24
 CHAPTER – III
Research objective &
Market Research

25
Research objective

The following project has been given to us in order to make us understand

the real environment of the market in which research is conducted. Marketing
research, being a very important field of study in management can only be
learned through practically working in the markets. The subject of our study
being an FMCG product made us go and interact with the households and know
their buying behaviors, preferences and expectations from the detergents they
use. In our study we defined our research objectives as follows:-

● To Study the Determinants of Consumer Preferences Against Detergent

● To identify most preferred brand.
● To identify the major players of Detergents.
● To study on the effect of advertisement on customers for purchasing the
detergent.
● To find the customer preference in the forms of detergents
● To find the customer frequency of use of detergents/ number of times they
purchase a product in a month
● To find the various ways by which the customers wash their clothes/
dishes
● To find the brand loyalty of the customers
● To find the qualities they look for while buying a detergent
● To study the reasons that made the customer switch from their previous
brands

26
 ● To find the mode of communication through which they came to know
about the qualities/features of their present brand
● To find the number of times the customer switches from one brand to
another.
● To find the role of packaging in the purchase behavior of a product-
quantity.
● Consumers’ awareness about the harmful effects of the detergents. The
objectives hence set paved the way for the exhaustive research that we
conducted in the field to elaborate and analyze separately in order to get a
complete and a dynamic overview.

Market Research

Market research is any organized effort to gather information about markets or

customers. It is a very important component of business strategy. The term is
commonly interchanged with marketing research; however, expert practitioners
may wish to draw a distinction, in that marketing research is concerned
specifically about marketing processes, while market research is concerned
specifically with markets. Market research as defined by the International Code
on Market and Social Research, includes social and opinion research is the
systematic gathering and interpretation of information about individuals or
organizations using statistical and analytical methods and techniques of the
applied social sciences to gain insight or support decision making.

27
 TYPES OF MARKETING RESEARCH

Quantitative marketing research

Quantitative marketing research is the application of quantitative research

techniques to the field of marketing. It has roots in both the positivist view of the
world, and the modern marketing viewpoint that marketing is an interactive
process in which both the buyer and seller reach a satisfying agreement on the
"four Ps" of marketing: Product, Price, Place (location) and Promotion. As a
social research method, it typically involves the construction of questionnaires
and scales. People who respond (respondents) are asked to complete the survey.
Marketers use the information so obtained to understand the needs of individuals
in the marketplace, and to create strategies and marketing plans.
Qualitative Market Research
Qualitative marketing research is a set of research techniques, used in
marketing and the social sciences, in which data is obtained from a relatively
small group of respondents and not analyzed with inferential statistics. This
differentiates it from quantitative analyzed for statistical significance.
Qualitative research tools are used primarily to define a problem and generate
hypotheses. They are often used as the prelude to quantitative research in order
to identify determinants, and develop quantitative research designs. They can be
better than quantitative research at probing below the surface in order to
understand what drives and motivates behaviors. Because of the low number of
respondents involved and the idiosyncratic nature of some data collection
methods findings from qualitative marketing research should be applied to larger

28
populations with caution. They are however, very valuable for exploring an
issue and are used by almost all researchers at various points during large
research campaigns. In short, most businesses use one or more of six basic
methods to perform market research: literature, surveys, focus groups, personal
interviews, observation and field trials. The type of data you need and how
much money you’re willing to spend will determine which techniques you
choose for your business.

MARKRTING STRATEGIES OF ALL THE MAJOR BRANDS

When Procter& Gamble India (P&G) entered the detergent , market of

India at the beginning of the 1990s, the market had just calmed down after a
decade long battle between HLL’s Surf and Nirma of Nirma Chemicals. Though
there were many detergent brands in the market – Det, Key, Pont, Chase, Vimal,
Vijay, Adhunik, Plus, Hipolene, Tej, Mazda , Sanzar , etc. – Surf remained the
leader and Nirma the challenger. Choosing the price conscious, lower segment
as its market and taking advantage of the concessions as an SSI unit, Nirma
Chemicals offered a low-priced brand and promoted it aggressively. HLL had to
defend Surf with all its might. The company stepped up its promotion of Surf,
relying heavily on aspects like quality and value for money. In addition, HLL
introduced a low-priced brand, Wheel, and positioned it directly against Nirma
in the same segment. HLL also introduced Sunlight detergent powder, a brand
extension of its Sunlight washing soap taking advantage of its time-tested brand
image. Yet, within a few years, Nirma garnered a share of 35 per cent of the
market and literally shook Hindustan Lever. The latter had been the market

29
leader for years without any significant challenge whatsoever. Also, by then the
detergents market of India had grown into a Rs 1,800 crore market. It was into
this market that P&G entered with its Ariel as a direct contestant against Surf. In
fact, the P&G-HLL battle finally turned out to be one of the major marketing
encounters of the 1990s. P&G and Lever, the rivals around the world, were now
combating on Indian ground.

How did P&G go about marketing Ariel? What marketing strategy did P&G
employ? P&G Seeks leadership position in the industry: P&G laid down its
marketing strategy in respect of Ariel: P&G aims at making Ariel the leading
detergent brand of India, squarely confronting the exiting market leader,
Hindustan Lever, and its leading brand, Surf. Our marketing strategy will be
centered around this major theme. The company will stick to this plan even if it
means sacrificing profits in the short run. P&G put Ariel on the Indian market in
1990, positioning it directly against HLL’s Surf.

FUTURE

The consumer's demand for improved performance, convenience of use &

value has driven an unprecedented level of innovation in the detergent industry
worldwide resulting in a new household cleaning product. To be successful the
detergent industry will also have to be competitive & adopt new technologies.
Therefore, it is very essential now more than the ever that the local manufacturer
work hand in hand to ensure the development of industry.
The present's per capita consumption of detergent in India is very- low as
compared to the neighboring countries.

30
The reason for this low consumption in the city is the price of the detergents,
which is still high. Looking at the present trends & the interest multinational
companies are taking the detergent market, the future of detergent industry in
the country.

Consumption Forecasting

300000

250000

200000

150000

100000

50000

0
2017 2018 2019 2020 2021

ANALYSIS:

In the past 5 years it’s consumption almost grew by 90% as

we can see the consumption of detergents is on a steady rise even during
the years of covid and lockdown which means consumers perception has
deemed it to be a necessary product rather than a luxury.

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C H A P TE R – V
STATISTICAL
ANALYSIS

32
STATISTICAL ANALYSIS

1. How frequently do you wash your clothes?

33%

Daily
Once a week
54% Twice a week

13%

ANALYSIS:

This Chart is showing that how frequently people wash their clothes.
13% wash their cloth twice a week, 54% was their cloths once
a week and 33% wash their cloths daily .

33
 2. How do you wash your clothes?

Hand Wash
40% Washing Machine
Dhobi or Laundry
Any other

1%
3%
56%

ANALYSIS:

As you can see through the Chart presented above, In India

40% people are washing their clothes by hand and 56% spoke in
the favor of using washing machine for washing the clothes. This
shows the growing trend of people moving towards more
automated mode of washing clothes. This signifies that first
people are looking for more refined washingof clothes. There is a
very nominal percentage of people who are using dhobi or a
laundry for washing and cleaning of their clothes.

34
 3. Which according to you is the most appropriate form for
washing clothes?

2% Bar
17%
Powder
liquid

81%

ANALYSIS:

From the above data it can be concluded without doubt that most
people are using powder for their washing of clothes. This data
can be used well by detergent producing organization. The data
shows that people are using more of powder form detergent
which is mostly compatible with washing machine, which
presents a big market share which can be satisfied by moving
towards powder form of detergent.

35
 4. Which Brand do you use?

11%
15%
9% Arial
Tide
Wheel
14% Ghadi
Surf Excel
2% Nirma
7% Others
42%

ANALYSIS:

Indian people prefer Surf Excel more than other brands. Surf Excel
got more preference of detergent over the others. Mostly each and
every one use it.

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 5. Why Surf Excel ?

Hard Stain
29% Removing Ability

11% Texture
1% Preservation
Foam

Affordable Price
24%
35%
System

ANALYSIS:

Indian people prefer Surf Excel because of the ability of hardstain

removing at affordable price.

37
 6. For how long you have been using your present brand?

140

120

100

80

60

40

20

Less than 1 1-2 years 2-3 years 3-4 years 4-5 years More than 5
year years

ANALYSIS:

From the data above we can interpret, that most of the customer are
brand loyal and do not change their brand easily. 70% of the
sample says that they are using their present brand since last 4-
5years or more.

38
 7. Do you consider using different products considering
seasonal variations?

100
80
Yes

53
60
47

No
40
20
0
Yes No

ANALYSIS:

The graph shows that people are more season conscious while choosing
their detergent. This means that people want their detergents to be
adaptive to different clothes as the season demands.

39
 8. What is the quantity of detergent used?

100
80
60 35.8

37
40

13.6
9.9
3.7

20
0

ANALYSIS:

Hence from the graph monthly consumption of detergents for the maximum
respondents is from 1-2 kgs.

40
 9. The impact of advertisements and promotion on purchase ?

1%

26%
Yes
No
Don’t Know
63% System
10%

ANALYSIS:

Advertisement plays vital role in the purchase of any product. It is the most
important factor, which may influence the purchasing decision of the people.

41
 SUGGESTION
Based on the findings of the study and the observations of the researcher, the
following suggestions are made for optimizing the effectiveness of sales
promotion.

Suggestions to Brand Managers/Marketers

❖ The level of awareness about various sales promotion tools is very low
except in the case of Price-Off and Premium schemes. It is suggested that
sales promotion schemes should be sufficiently backed and supported by
print and electronic media advertising.

❖ Consumers prefer to get value added offers in the form of additional

quantity of the same product they buy as incentives. Bonus pack schemes
can be used more effectively than free gifts and compliments.
❖Sample of a new product may be distributed along with another product of
the same marketer or through the retail counter to make it more effective.
Suggestions to Consumers

❖Most of the promotion schemes are sponsored by manufacturers. Retailers,

knowingly or unknowingly, may not whole-heartedly support their efforts.
Consumers must ensure that offers are passed on to them by the retailer or
other intermediaries.

❖Consumers may consider the real benefits they get and the cost they pay
while deciding to avail a promotion offer since price promotions involve
more out lay than they normally spend.

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Suggestion to Retailers
From the retailer’s point of view cross-brand switching effect of promotion
docs not contribute any additional revenue when he deals with so many brands
of the same product. Therefore, he should sec that sales promotion schemes
implemented by the manufacturers are able to increase store traffic and create
primary demand for the product.

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 CONCLUSION

It is concluded that difference between the Parameters i.e., Student, Service

Class, Households and Business Class is Significant. Also, the difference
between the Determinants i.e., Brand, Advertisement, Price, Availability,
fragrance, Color, Safe side, Quality and Size is also Significant. The
companies are therefore ,advised to give more emphasis on cleanliness factors
and price whereas less emphasis on fragrance and color. They are also advised to
make different strategies for Different parameters as they are showing different
purchase behavior. It was observed that TV advertising had a deep impact on the

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 BIBLIOGRAPHY

1) Kothari C.R. “Research Methodology” New Delhi ,Willy Eastern Ltd.

2012,Second Edition.
2) Rampal K.M. Gupta S.1,Project Report Writing New Delhi ,Galgotia
Publication 2014.
3) Encarta Encyclopedia standard 2017.

Web-site

➢ www.wikipedia.com
➢ www.google.com
➢ www.altavista.com

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