“A COMPARITIVE STUDY ON CONSUMER

PREFERENCE ON SOFT DRINKS

&
CONSUMER AWARENESS REGARDING THE
ADVERSE EFFECT OF SOFT DRINKS ON HEALTH”

REPORT

Submitt ed by: AZHAR K P 0 83 08 00 7

MOH AMMED FAHD 0 83 08 02 3
MOH AMMED SADATH 0 83 08 02 9
NIM ISHA DEVANAN DAN 08 30 80 37

Und er the guidance of

Dr. MA DHU

MASTER OF BUSINESS AD MINISTRATI ON

DEPARTMENT OF M ANAGEMENT SCIENCE

MES COL LEGE OF ENGINE ERING, KUTTI PURAM, MALAPPU RAM
(Approved by AICTE, Affiliated to Calicut University, ISO 900 1-
200 0 certified)

2008-2010
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

A word of thanks…………….

Before we get into the thick of the things we would like to add a few heartful words for the
people who gave unending support right from the stage the idea of the research was
conceived. We express our deep sense of gratitude & sincere thanks to those who have helped
us in developing this research work. It is impossible to put out or classify the assistance; it is
the feeling that matters, & not the value.

First of all we would like to express our sincere gratitude to our beloved Prof. Madhu for
giving us an opportunity to do this research & extent his kind co-operation.

Deepest appreciation & thanks go to our respective families for their patience &
understanding, friends & classmates for their insights comments throughout the research.

Above all it is the grace & blessings of God Almighty, which made this, Endeavour a success.

- Azhar K P
- Mohammed Fahd
- Mohammed Sadath
- Nimisha Devanandan
 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Soft Drinks were common preference among all the individuals, irrespective of their age
groups as it had great brand value and great advertisement.
Market Research is based on some underlying parameters like:
• Changing consumption pattern
• Changing income levels
• Advertisements
• Taste
• Status consciousness
• Varying lifestyle

The study starts with determining the major players in the soft drinks, their overall
consumption pattern among the people and ends up with the conclusion as per the state of
mind of the average rational human being.

Consumer preferences are changing towards healthier food, and thus such a trend will carry
on for some time to come. In the soft drinks market of late, most recent new products
launched have been focused on the health benefits of the soft drinks, like pomegranate juices,
calcium-fortified bottled water and a series of reduced-sugar alternatives, with such features
not previously so readily available to or heavily promoted at the target audience.
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

SERIAL NO. TITLE PAGE NO.

1) INTRODUCTION
1.1) Industrial profile 01
1.2) Major players in soft drinks segment 04
1.3) Study of growth of soft drink market 08
1.4) Recent issues 09

2) RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
2.1) Purpose of the study 16
2.2) Objectives of the study 16
2.3) Scope of the study 16
2.4) Research Design 17
2.5) Sampling Technique used 18
2.6) Selection of Sample Size 18
2.7) Sources of Data collection 18
2.8) Statistical Tools Used 18

3) DATA ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS 19

4) SUGGESTIONS 40

5) LIMITATION OF THE STUDY 41

6) CONCLUSION 42

7) ANNEXURE
7.1) Questionnaire 43

8) BIBLIOGRAPHY 44
INTRODUCTION
 INDUSTRIAL PROFILE

The soft-drink industry comprises companies that manufacture nonalcoholic beverages and
carbonated mineral waters or concentrates and syrups for the manufacture of carbonated
beverages. Naturally occurring bubbling or sparkling mineral waters have been popular for
thousands of years: the ancient Greeks believed that such waters had medicinal properties and
bathed in them regularly; the Romans established resorts around mineral springs throughout
Europe. In the 1500s the village of Spa in Belgium became famous for its waters, which by
the early 1600s were sold, in bottles, as far away as London, Eng.

Development of the first man-made sparkling or carbonated water is credited to Joseph

Priestley, the British scientist who discovered oxygen. In 1772 he invented a method of
"pushing" carbon dioxide into water by dissolving it under pressure, thus creating fairly long-
lasting bubbles. The technique led to development of the soft-drink industry. By the
beginning of the 19th century, carbonated water was being made commercially in France and
North America; shortly thereafter, flavours (normally fruit concentrates) were added to
enliven the taste. In the 1820s, small carbonated bottling operations were established in
Canada, producing carbonated drinks in refillable bottles which were merchandised as
medicinal elixirs or tonics. Most soft drinks are still carbonated to give drinks a "tangy bite"
and to stimulate the tongue. Furthermore, because scent is an important part of taste, the
flavours carried as vapours in the bubbles enhance taste.

The principle of "pushing" carbon dioxide is still used, but now the water is first purified in a
process known as "polishing." Cooled carbon dioxide is then injected at pressures of 275-550
kilopascals. Some of the early drinks bottled in Canada were called Birch Beer, Ginger Beer,
Sarsaparilla, Sour Lemon, None-Such Soda Water and Cream Soda. The first carbonated
beverage or "pop" bottles were sealed with corks held tightly in place with a wire binding.
Because they had to be stored neck down so that the cork would not dry and allow the
carbonation to leak away, they were manufactured with rounded bottoms. By the mid-1800s,
soft drinks sold in Canada were packaged in 8-ounce (227.2 ml) round-bottom bottles for
about 25 cents a dozen, except ginger beer, which was sold in draught form from wooden
kegs. Wired cork closures were used until about 1884 with Codd's Patented Globe Stoppers
(25 types in all). Such closures were replaced by the Hutcheson Spring Stopper. The crown

1
cap was introduced around 1905 and improved versions are still widely used, although they
are gradually being replaced, especially on larger containers, with reclosable screw caps.

Other packaging innovations since the mid-1960s include canned carbonated beverages,
nonreturnable glass bottles and containers made from rigid plastics. However, an effort is
being made, often through provincial legislation, to increase the use of returnable glass
containers.

In the industry's early years the number of carbonated-beverage plants increased steadily,
most serving small regional markets. In 1929 the industry was made up of 345 production
plants and the value of shipments reached $12.3 million. By 1960 the number of plants had
increased to 502 and the value of sales to $172.7 million. Subsequently, consolidation began,
prompted by improved production, packaging and distribution facilities. By 1973, 337 plants
were in production and the value of shipments was $484 million. In 1985, with sales of about
$1.8 billion, the industry had 187 plants in production: Newfoundland had 3; PEI, 1; Nova
Scotia, 7; New Brunswick, 8; Québec, 66; Ontario, 58; Manitoba, 7; Saskatchewan, 10;
Alberta, 13; and BC, 14. Production volume has also increased dramatically: in 1939, soft-
drink bottlers produced about 162 million litres of carbonated beverages; by 1967, production
passed 758 million litres; in 1986, shipments were estimated at over 2.1 billion litres; and in
1998 that figure rose to 3.5 billion litres.

The industry is regulated by both federal and provincial agencies, 3 of the most important
being CONSUMER AND CORPORATE AFFAIRS (responsible for the Consumer Packaging
and Labelling Act), HEALTH CANADA (which administers the Food and Drugs Act) and
Environment Canada (which focuses on environmental matters). The industry is represented
by the Canadian Soft Drink Association in Toronto and by several provincial associations.

The introduction of diet carbonated beverages has changed the industry's profile. Several
years ago, in response to increasing consumer diet consciousness, the industry introduced the
first successful sugar-free diet drinks using the artificial sweetener cyclamate. But questions
were raised about the safety of this additive and, based on existing scientific data, Health
Canada banned its use in Canadian commercial FOODS AND BEVERAGES. This decision,
estimated to have cost the industry more than $15 million, was a setback to diet-drink
development. The industry turned to saccharin, but this too was eventually banned. Now, a
new sugar-free additive, aspartame, has been approved for use in diet soft drinks, and the
2
cyclamate/saccharin situation is not expected to recur because aspartame consists of amino
acids, which occur naturally. Aspartame-sweetened diet drinks have had a dramatic effect on
the Canadian carbonated-beverage industry. Just before the saccharin ban in 1977, diet drinks
accounted for about 10% of the soft-drink market; following the ban the diet share dropped to
about 2%, consisting of beverages partially sweetened with small amounts of sugar. In 1982,
the first full year that aspartame was used in Canada, diet drinks increased by 15.2% of total
soft-drink sales, while the total soft-drink industry grew 8%. In 1987 total soft-drink sales
increased 5.3% over 1986, while diet soft-drink sales increased by 10.7%. This single
development has encouraged strong growth in the industry.

MAJOR PLAYERS IN3 SOFT DRINKS SEGMENT

COCA COLA

“thanda matlab coca cola!!!”

Coca cola has truly remarkable heritage. From a humble beginning in 1886 it has now
become the flagship brand of largest manufacturer, distributor of non alcoholic beverages in
the world.
In India, coca cola was the leading soft drink till 1977 when govt. policies necessitated its
departure. Coca cola has made its return to the country in 1993.and made significant
investment to ensure that the beverage is available to more and more people in remote as well
as inaccessible parts of the world.
Coca cola returned to India in 1993 and over the past ten years has captured the imagination
of the nation, building strong association with cricket, the thriving cinema industry, music etc.
coca cola has been very strongly associated with cricket, sponsoring the world cup in 1996.
In 2002, coca cola launched the campaign,”Thanda Matlab coca cola”. in 2003,coke was
available for just rs,5 crores in the country.

FANTA
GHOONTH BHAR SHARARAT KAR LEY!!!

Fanta entered the Indian market in year 1996 under the coca cola brand .over the years, Fanta
has occupied a strong market place and is identified as “the fun catalyst”. Fanta stands for its
vibrant color, tempting taste and tingling bubbles that not just uplifts feelings but also helps
free spirit thus encouraging one to indulge in the moment.
LIMCA
4
 “ LIME AND LEMONI!!!

Drink that can cast a tangy refreshing spell on anyone, anywhere. Born in 1971, Limca has
been the original thirst choice, of millions of consumers for over three decades.
The brand has been displaying healthy volume growing year on year and limca continues to
be leading flavoring soft drinks in the country.
Dive into the zingy refreshment of limca and walk away a new person.

THUMS UP
TASTE THE THUNDER!!!

Strong cola taste, exciting personality.

Thums up is a leading carbonated soft drink and most trusted brand in India. Originally
introduced in 1977, thums up was acquired by the coca cola company in 1993.
Thums up, is, known for strong, fizzy taste and its confident, mature and uniquely masculine
attitude. This brand clearly seeks to separate the man from the boys.

5
SPRITE
“SPIRITE BHUJAYE PYAAS BAKI SAB BAKWAAS!!!

World wide sprite ranked as no.4 soft drink and is sold in more than 190 countries In India,
sprite was launched in year 1999 and today it has grown to be one of the fastest growing soft
drinks, leading clear lime category.
Today sprite is perceived as a youth icon. With strong appeal to youth sprite has stood for a
straight forward and honest attitude. Its clear crisp hingtaste encourages today’s youth to trust
their instincts, influence them to be true who they are and to obey their thirst.

MAAZA
YAARI DOSTI TAAZA MAAZA!!!

Maaza was launched in 1976. In 1993, maaza was acquired by coca cola India. Maaza
currently dominates the fruit drink category. Over the years, maaza has become synonymous
with mango.
“Taaza Mango, Maaza mango, Botal mei aam, maaza hai naam”.consumers regard maaza as
wholesome, natural, fun loving drink real experience of fruit.

The campaign builds on the existing equity of the brand and delivers a relevant emotional
benefit to the moms rightly captured in tagline, “yaari dosti, and taaza maaza”.
PEPSI 6
YEH DIL MAANGE MORE!!!

Pepsi cola is a carbonated beverage that is produced and manufactured by Pepsi co. It is sold
in stores, restaurants and from vending machines. The drink was first made in the 1890’s in
North Carolina.
The brand was trademarked on June 16, 1903.There have been many Pepsi variants produced
over the years.

• Diet Pepsi
• Crystal Pepsi
• Pepsi twist
• Pepsi max
• Pepsi samba
• Pepsi blue
• Pepsi gold
• Pepsi holiday spice
• Pepsi jazz
• Pepsi x(available in Finland & brazil)
• Pepsi next(available in Japan & south Korea)
 STUDY OF GROWTH OF SOFT DRINK MARKET
7

SOFT DRINKS
Carbonated drinks are dominated by artificial flavors based on cola, orange and lime with
Pepsi and coca-cola dominating the market. The entire part of the drink is based on its
artificial flavors and sweetening agents as no natural juice is used.

MARKET

• Cola products account for nearly 61-62% of the total soft drinks market.
• Two global majors’ Pepsi and coke dominate the soft drink market.
• NCAER survey says 91% of soft drink in the country is in the lower, lower middle
and upper middle class people.
• The market is worth around Rs.5000 crores with growth rate of around 10-15%.
• The annual per capita consumption in India is only about 6 bottles vis- a- Vis 340
bottles in the U.S.
• The production as soft drinks has increased from 5670 million bottles in 1998-99 to
6230 million bottles in 1999-2000 industry source.
• Growth market this year is expected to be 10-15% in value terms and 20-22% in
volume terms.

However, the market for carbonated drinks is stagnating and not growing as expected.
RECENT ISSUES 8

1. China rejects Coke bid to take-over major juice maker

China has rejected Coca-Cola's $2.5 billion bid to buy a major Chinese juice maker. The
purchase of Huiyuan Juice Group Ltd would have been the biggest foreign acquisition of a
Chinese company to date. The proposed purchase was rejected on anti-monopoly grounds, the
Chinese commerce ministry announced on its website.

Coca-Cola's bid in September prompted an outcry by nationalists who urged the government
to bar foreigners from acquiring one of China's most successful homegrown brands. Rival
juice producers warned that the acquisition would give Coca-Cola too dominant a position in
China's beverage market. A Coca-Cola spokesman in Hong Kong learned of the rejection of
the sale had no immediate comment. Huiyuan's founders and major shareholders already had
endorsed the sale.

If Coke were to take over Huiyuan, it will dominate the soft drinks market in China, which
not only hurts consumers, but also other sector participants. Huiyuan controls more than a
tenth of the Chinese fruit and vegetable juice market that grew 15% last year to $2 billion.
Coca-Cola has a 9.7% share and dominates in diluted juices.

2. Pepsi's Slice kicks off the new season with 'Aamsutra'

PepsiCo's popular mango juice drink brand- Slice kicks off the 2009 season with it's new
'Aamsutra' concept.
According to Homi Battiwalla, business head, juice & juice drinks, PepsiCo India, Slice had
seen powerful consumer momentum post the re-launch of 2008. The new winning
formulation has been appreciated by consumers. Aamsutra has driven strong disruption in the
juice and juice drink category. All of this has made Slice the fastest growing mango drink
brand in the country.
"South India is the lead market for mango drinks in the country. Andhra Pradesh is the
biggest mango market and also the fastest growing market for Slice and mango drinks in the
country. Tamil Nadu is amongst the top three states and Slice is the market-leader in Tamil

9
Nadu," he added

Pepsi has now opted for a new brand ambassador, Katrina Kaif.

The creative thought behind the new communication was to further enhance the Slice
experience into dimensions of pleasure, sensuality and indulgence. Last year's commercial
was about enumerating the principles of 'Aamsutra' or the art of experiencing pure mango
pleasure with the new Slice. This year, the commercial portrays the next level to bring alive
the mango indulgence, stated Hari Krishnan, Vice President, JWT.
The company has now opted for a 360 multimedia campaigns involving digital, print, radio,
impact outdoors and sampling in core markets.

3. Parle Agro launches lemon flavoured drink "LMN"

Parle Agro, one of the leading food & beverage companies in India, has launched a new fruit-
based lemon drink LMN in the non-carbonated segment. The new brand is a natural lemon
juice drink and the only brand in India with a taste closest to home made, fresh lime water
(Nimbu pani). According to the company, LMN will offer consumers a healthy, refreshing
drink with the goodness of vitamin C. Every summer, the Indian beverage market has seen
cola majors battle it out. This summer, the launch of LMN will see the cola wars taking a
back seat and the battle spilling over to the non-cola segment, to be more precise in the nimbu
paani category. PepsiCo India last week launched a nimbu pani drink, Nimbooz, under the
7Up brand.

On the occasion of LMN's launch, Nadia Chauhan, joint managing director and CMO, Parle
Agro, said, "Nimbu pani has traditionally been India's most commonly consumed cold
beverage. In fact the idea of a branded lemon drink is so simple that you would wonder why
nobody thought of it earlier. The challenge for us was packaging a natural product while
retaining its fresh, original taste throughout its shelf life."

LMN will be available in 110 ml Tetra, 200 ml Tetra and 500 ml PET packs priced at Rs 5, Rs
10 and Rs 23 respectively. The company aims to touch a turnover of Rs 3000-3500 crore by
2011.
The company will target both (youth and adult) segments of consumers to turn them into
branded consumers of nimbu pani. Besides this LMN will also target an emerging segment of
consumers who are looking for a healthy and refreshing beverage in the country. "For the last
20 years, Parle Agro has been the market leader in fruit based beverages, we have constantly
10
worked keeping in mind Indian preferences while formulating products that cater to the
Indian palate. It is without any doubt that only an Indian company can understand what real
nimbu pani tastes like and what the Indian consumer wants in a packaged offering," Chauhan
added.
Further, the company claims that packaged nimbu pani will have tremendous growth
potential, higher than other packaged drinks mainly because of a major shift in consumer
behavior. Today, the beverage consumer is looking for hygiene, convenience, refreshing taste,
affordability and year-round availability. The name LMN is derived from the SMS version of
the word lemon. Parle Agro also owns other fruit drink brands like Frooti, Appy Fizz and
packaged drinking water, Bailey.

4. PepsiCo launches 'Nimbooz,' packaged lemon juice with no fizz and

artificial flavours

PepsiCo India has launched its packaged nimbu paani, Nimbooz, under its 7Up brand. The
home-made nimbu paani or lime juice has been specially created to suit Indian tastes.
The lemon juice, no fizz and artificial flavours, is available in trendy, convenient packs.

The drink offers great value to consumers in three packaging formats of 200 ml returnable
glass bottles (RGB), 350 ml PET and 200 ml Tetra attractively priced at Rs 10, Rs 15 and Rs
10, respectively.

According to Ms Punita Lal, Executive Director- Marketing, PepsiCo India, Nimbooz, is

specially developed to suit Indian tastes and preferences.

"Nimbooz is an affordable offering for consumers on the go because of its ready-to-drink

format that is both convenient and hygienic. The proposition of the Indian refresher perfectly
captures the mass appeal of this product and will certainly drive consumer connect, stated Ms
Alpana Titus, Executive VP-Flavours, PepsiCo India.

11
PepsiCo has drawn up an intensive consumer activation campaign to market Nimbooz. The
360 degree marketing communication plan will revolve around building awareness through
multi-city launches and road shows, comprehensive 3D activation, leveraging Out-of-Home
(OOH) media, radio, press and outdoors. Aggressive trial generation and sampling initiatives
will also be taken forward across major cities of the country. A special 'Nimbooz Highway
Gadi' has been created that will visit the four major highways connecting Delhi to Jaipur,
Dehradun, Agra to drive trails and consumer education.

5. Coke launches fruit-flavoured Fanta Apple nationally

After successfully introducing it in southern markets last year, Coca-Cola India has launched
its fruit-flavoured soft drink 'Fanta Apple' nationally. The product is available in 200 ml and
300 ml returnable glass bottles and also in 500 ml PET pack priced at Rs 8, Rs 10 and Rs 22
respectively. During the Fanta Apple launch in October 2008, Venkatesh Kini, marketing
vice-president, Coca-Cola India, said that the company had planned to reach about 3.5 lakh
customers with sample apple flavoured drink to extend its market leadership in the fruit
flavoured segment in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.

"As per consumer research, we have found that after orange, apple is the most preferred fruit
in the country and Fanta Apple has been developed specially for the Indian palate," Kini said
on Monday. According to experts, the nationwide launch of Fanta Apple is a part of the
company's $250 million business plan for the country.
Fanta Apple is the second flavour after Fanta Orange under "Fanta" brand of the company.
"We have had an excellent response down south with a reused value to the drink and with the
national launch of Fanta Apple, we are stepping stones to extend Coca Cola India's market
leadership in the fruit-flavoured sparkling drink segment," Kini added. The company has also
announced Bollywood actress Genelia D'Souza as the new brand ambassador of the Fanta
brand.

According to reports, the current expected Indian soft drink market is about Rs 6,000 crore, in
which the company shares about 50% market with its various brands like Coke, 7 Up, Fanta,
Sprite and Thums Up.
HEALTH ISSUES CAUSED
12 BY SOFT DRINKS
1) CERTAIN SOFT DRINKS AND CANCER MAY BE RELATED
Francisco Contraries, M.D., of the Contraries Cancer Clinic in Kiajuana, Mexico said,
"Cancer is like a plant cell; it can't live in an oxygen-rich environment. cola drinks make our
bodies poor in oxygen. cancer is the second cause of death in America. The average American
is consuming 800 Or more soft drinks annually. Be more responsible for your own life;
doctors have no responsibility for another's health."

2) SOFT DRINKS OFFEND THE KIDNEYS

A three year study of over 1,000 men with a history of kidney stones showed: "There was a
clear-cut difference in the group's experiences, with much less renal colic in the men who had
avoided soft drinks. Of those who continued to use soft drinks, there was also a big difference
in outcome depending upon the nature of the soft drink consumed. Soft drinks acidified with
phosphoric acid were the worst offenders. Colas of all kinds, of course, are well known for
their high phosphoric acid content."

3) COLA DRINKS PROVIDE ZERO NUTRIENTS

As pointed out by Beatrice Hunter in her book, CONSUMER BEWARE (published in 1971),
"Nutritionally, soft drinks are low in value. Their food energy comes solely from refined
sugar. Every element of nutritional importance, except calories, is zero. Soft drinks have
much in common with hard liquor, claimed the co-discoverer of insulin, Dr. Charles Best.
Cirrhosis of the liver has been found among teenagers who drink large quantities of soft
drinks, as well as among chronic alcoholics." Can we live without a functioning liver? No.
And do doctors have a cure for cirrhosis of the liver? Not really!

4) CAFFEINE IS ADDICTIVE; COLAS PROVIDE IT

Soft drinks, including the cola and pepper-type drinks that have caffeine in them, are the
number one beverage of Americans today, with coffee second. Caffeine is a drug and it acts
as a stimulant to the central nervous system. "In the amounts presently being consumed, it
can cause insomnia, nervousness, irritability, anxiety and disturbances in the heart rate and

13
rhythm. Cola and pepper-type drinks account for 80-90 percent of the caffeine added to foods
today. Its long term effects on people are not clearly known."

5) BIRTH DEFECTS AREA POSSIBILITY

Here is advice on caffeine from the FDA. "In making the public announcement in September
of caffeine's possible dangers to unborn children, FDA commissioner Dr. Jere E. Goyan urged
prudence by pregnant women in the use of caffeine products. Goyan's words to mothers-to-
be: "So while further evidence is being gathered on the possible relationship between caffeine
and birth defects, a prudent and protective mother-to-be will want to put caffeine on her list
of unnecessary substances which she should avoid." The old saying that a pregnant woman is
"eating for two" has a special meaning in regard to caffeine.

The Commissioner also noted that studies to date support the wisdom passed down from
generation to generation that caffeine is not for pregnant women or children. "We hope some
day to have better scientific assessments," Goyan said, "but for now adhering to the guidance
of our parents seems to be the most prudent course."

6) ANOTHER PROBLEM: CARAMEL COLORING

"Cola drinks contain caramel coloring which, according to some researchers, has genetic
effects and is a cancer-causing suspect. Polyethylene glycol is used as an ingredient
sometimes. Glycol is used in anti-freeze in automobiles and as an oil solvent." Perhaps you
have noticed that pouring cola drinks on your windshield in a snow or ice storm will keep the
windshield from freezing over with ice.

7) BUBBLES AND FIZZ - NOT INNOCENT

"The bubbles and fizz in soft drinks can potently burn human insides; this is caused by the
phosphoric acid and carbon dioxide. The phosphorus in the acid upsets the body's calcium-
phosphorus ratio and dissolves calcium out of the bones. This can eventually result in
osteoporosis, a weakening of the skeletal structure, which can make one susceptible to broken
bones. Also, the phosphorus fights with the hydrochloric acid in human stomachs and renders
it ineffective. This promotes indigestion, bloating and gassiness in many individuals. Carbon
dioxide is a waste product exhaled by humans, but they ingest it when they drink cola
drinks."
8) METABOLISM CAN BE ALTERED: THAT SPELLS TROUBLE
Heavy soft drink consumption can interfere with your body's metabolization of iron and
diminish nerve-impulse transmission. Sodas may contain - but are not required to disclose -
such ingredients as ethyl alcohol, sodium alginate (possibly hazardous for pregnant women),
brominated vegetable oil (found harmful to vital organs of animals and considered a health
risk to heavy consumers of beverages containing
14 it) and caffeine.

9) BLOOD PRESSURE ALTERATION: ON THE HIGH SIDE

Diet sodas that are low in calories are high in sodium. Six ounces of regular Pepsi cola has 5
mg of sodium; Diet Pepsi has 31 mg (But who only drinks 6 oz at a time now? - classic Coke
Cola has 19 mg sodium. High blood pressure is very common ailment in our society, I
wonder why!
And who shouldn't have high sodium in their diets? My personal answer to that question, is
that the condition which causes a person to have high blood pressure should be considered a
condition where limiting sodium intake would be helpful. Here are a few of those; certain
tumors, kidney disease, adrenal or thyroid or pituitary gland malfunction, even diabetes and
arteriosclerosis or hardening of the arteries. Soft drinks should be off limits to persons with
these conditions.

10) HEALTH DANGERS OF REUSING PLASTIC

Many are unaware of poisoning caused by re-using plastic bottles. Some of you may be in the
habit of using and re-using your disposable SOFT DRINK BOTTLES (eg. Pepsi. Coke,
Sprite etc), keeping them in your car or at work. Not a good idea. In a nutshell, the plastic
(called polyethylene terephthalate or PET) used in these bottles contains a potentially
carcinogenic element (something called diethylhydroxylamine or DEHA).

The bottles are safe for one-time use only; if you must keep them longer, it should be or no
more than a few days, a week max, and keep them away from heat as well. Repeated washing
and rinsing can cause the plastic to break down and the carcinogens (cancer- causing
chemical agents)can leach into the water that YOU are drinking. Better to invest in water
bottles that are really meant for multiple uses. This is not something we should be scrimping
on. Those of you with family - please advise them, especially for their children's sake."
 15

RESEARCH
METHODOLOGY
 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

The main aim of this research study is to analyze the preference of people (of different age
groups) on consumption patterns of Soft Drinks and Consumer Awareness regarding the
hazards of soft drinks.

OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

• To study the preferences of the people for soft drinks.

• To find whether the consumers are aware regarding the adverse effect of soft drinks
concerning their health
• To find out the factor(s) that influences the consumer’s consumption of soft drinks.
• To test the know-how of the consumers regarding the various existing brands of soft
drinks and fruit juices.
• To find out how the beverage is positioned in the mind of the consumers.

SCOPE OF THE STUDY

• This study is confined to Kannur Town region covering areas of

Radius of 5 Kms
• Seasonal drinks are not considered in the study.
• We are considering only canned and bottled drinks
• We are not considering water & alcoholic drinks.
 RESEARCH
16
DESIGN

A research design is a framework or blueprint for conducting the marketing research

project. It specifies the details of the procedures necessary for obtaining the information
needed to structure and/or solve marketing research problem.
On the basis of fundamental objectives of the research we can classify research design into
two general types:

1) EXPLORATORY RESEARCH

2) CONCLUSIVE RESEARCH

Exploratory research is one type of research design, which has its primary
objective the provision of insights into, and comprehension of, the problem situation
confronting the researcher.
Conclusive research is designed to assist the decision maker in determining
evaluating and selecting the best course of action to take in a given situation.

Conclusive research can be further divided into two types:-

• Descriptive
• Experimental
The research design used in this project is a DESCRIPTIVE DESIGN.

Descriptive study as the name implies is designed to describe something-for example the
characteristics of users of a given product, the degree to which the product use the varies with
income, age, etc.
 17
SAMPLING TECHNIQUE USED:
This research has used convenience sampling technique.
1) Convenience sampling technique: Convenience sampling is used in exploratory
research where the researcher is interested in getting an inexpensive approximation of the
truth. As the name implies, the sample is selected because they are convenient.

SELECTION OF SAMPLE SIZE:

For the study, a sample size of 80 has been taken into consideration.

SOURCES OF DATA COLLECTION:

Research will be based on two sources:

1. Primary data

2. Secondary data

1) PRIMARY DATA:
Questionnaire: Primary data was collected by preparing questionnaire and the people
were randomly being requested to fill them.
2) SECONDARY DATA:
Secondary data will consist of different literatures like books which are published, articles,
internet and websites.
In order to reach relevant conclusion, research work needed to be designed in a proper way.
STATISTICAL TOOLS USED

The main statistical tools used for the collection and analyses of data in this project are:
• Questionnaire
• Pie Charts
• Bar Diagrams

18

DATA ANALYSIS &

FINDINGS
 DATA ANALYSIS

1) Do you like soft drinks?

YES NO
83% 17%

ANALYSIS:
From the survey it was found that amongst 80 respondents.
a) 83% of the respondents likes soft drinks.
b) 17% of the respondents don’t likes soft drinks.
2) Frequency of consumption of soft drink19
in a week?

Daily 2-4 Times More than 4 times once in a week

6% 3% 11% 58%

ANALYSIS:
From the survey it was found that amongst 80 respondents.
a) 6% of the respondents consume Soft Drinks daily.
b) 25% of the respondents consume Soft Drinks 2-6 times.
c) 11% of the respondents consume Soft Drinks more than 4 times.
d) 58% of the respondents consume Soft Drinks once in a week.
 20
3) In what occasions, do you do you often consume the soft drinks?

Feeling Without any Parties Hard

thirsty reason Celebrations work
38% 36% 36% 1%

ANALYSIS:
From the survey it was found that amongst 100 respondents.
a) 38% of the respondents consume Soft Drinks when they feel thirsty.

b) 36% of the respondents consume Soft Drinks at the time of celebrations.

c) 36% of the respondents consume Soft Drinks without any reason.

d) 1% of the respondents consume Soft Drinks on other occasions.

4) What induces you to buy Soft Drinks?
21
Price & Health Status Advertisem
Quantity Drink symbol Taste Variety ent
8% 5% 5% 50% 13% 13%

ANALYSIS:
From the survey it was found that amongst 100 respondents.
a) 08% of the respondents consume soft drinks because of its price.

b) 05% of the respondents consume soft drinks because it is a health drink.

c) 05% of the respondents consume soft drinks because it is a status symbol.

d) 50% of the respondents consume soft drinks because of its taste.

e) 13% of the respondents consume soft drinks because of variety.

f) 13% of the respondents consume soft drinks because of Advertisement

 22
5) Do advertisements affect your purchases?

To Greater To Great To Lesser

Neutral To Less Extend
Extend Extend Extend
13% 30% 35% 13% 10%

ANALYSIS:

From the survey it was found that amongst 80 respondents.

a) 13% of the respondents think that advertisements affect their purchases to

greater extend
b) 30% of the respondents think that advertisements affect their purchases to
great extend.
c) 35% of the respondents thinks that advertisement affects their purchases to
neutral
d) 13% of the respondents thinks that advertisement affect their purchases to
less extend
e) 10% of the respondents thinks that advertisement affect their purchases to
lesser extend.
6) Which soft drink do you like more?
23

Coca cola Pepsi Miranda Limca Maaza Other

10% 21% 28% 5% 18% 19%

ANALYSIS:

From the survey it was found that amongst 80 respondents.

a) 10% of the respondents consume Cocacola.

b) 21% of the respondents consume pepsi.
c) 28% of the respondents consume miranda.
d) 5% of the respondents consume Limca
e) 18% of the respondents consume Maaza
f) 19% of the respondents consume other soft drink
 These are the other soft drink which are preferred by people
24

7-UP Dew Tropicano Slice Frooti Fanta Sprite

5 3 1 2 1 1 2

7) Do you take the soft drink every time?

YES NO
31% 69%
 ANALYSIS:
25

From the survey it was found that amongst 80 respondents.

a) 31% of the respondents consume soft drink every time.

b) 69% of the respondents doesn’t consume soft drink every time.

8) Which Flavor do you like most?

Mango Orange Lemon Apple Others

24% 31% 21% 10% 14%
 ANALYSIS:

From the survey it was found that amongst 80 respondents.

a) 24% of the respondents like mango flavor.

b) 31% of the respondents like orange flavor
c) 21% of the respondents like lemon flavor.
d) 10% of the respondents like apple flavor
e) 14% of the respondents like some other flavor
f) Other flavours include strawberry, vanilla, grape, etc
9) How do you rate canned juices as compared to fresh juices?
26
Equivalent to Have artificial added healthy with
not as healthy
fresh juice flavor preservatives
8% 33% 10% 50%
 ANALYSIS:

From the survey it was found that amongst 80 respondents.

a) 8% of the respondents think canned juices are Equivalent to fresh juices.

b) 33% of the respondents think canned juices Have artificial added flavor.
c) 10% of the respondents think canned juices are Healthy but have preservatives.
d) 50% of the respondents think canned juices are not as healthy.

27
10) Do you think taking too much soft drink would cause health problems?

Yes No No comment
65% 15% 20%
 ANALYSIS:

From the survey it was found that amongst 80 respondents

a) 65% of the respondents think that too much consumption would cause health
problem.
b) 33% of the respondents think that soft drink consumption will not cause any
health problem.
c) 10% of the respondents didn’t have any opinion on this.

11) Have these drinks caused any health problems for you?
28

Yes No
15 65
 ANALYSIS:

From the survey it was found that amongst 80 respondents

a) 81% of the respondents didn’t have any health problem after having soft drink.
b) 33% of the respondents did have some health problem after the consumption of soft
drink.

12) Are you aware that you are priced more than 10 times than of the real price of the drink?
29

Yes No
50% 50%
 ANALYSIS:

From the survey it was found that amongst 80 respondents

Only 50% of the respondents know that they are priced 10 times more than of real
price.

13) Considering the TV ad. Which soft drink ad do you like more?
30
Coca cola Pepsi Mirinda Thumsup Maaza Other specify
13% 23% 20% 29% 5% 11%
 ANALYSIS:

From the survey it was found that amongst 80 respondents.

a) 13% of the respondents like the advertisement of cocacola.

b) 23% of the respondents like the advertisement of pepsi
c) 20 % of the respondents like the advertisement of Miranda
d) 29% of the respondents like the advertisement of thumpsup
e) 5% of the respondents like the advertisement of maaza
f) 11% of the respondents like the advertisement of other softdrink .

14) After seeing the ad did you like to switch on to that one?
31
Yes No
38% 63%
 ANALYSIS:

From the survey it was found that amongst 80 respondents.

a) 41% of the respondents didn’t switch to other soft drink after seeing the ad .
b) 39% of the respondents did switch to other soft drink after seeing the ad .

15) After the plachimada incident have you reduced consuming soft drinks?
32
Yes No
49% 51%
 ANALYSIS:

From the survey it was found that amongst 80 respondents.

a) 51% of the respondents did reduce consumption after plachimada incident.

b) 49% of the respondents didn’t reduce consumption after plachimada incident.

33
16) Do you think the superstar should stop promoting unhealthy soft drinks?

Yes No No comments
 46% 23% 31%

ANALYSIS:

From the survey it was found that amongst 80 respondents.

a) 46% of the respondents feel that super star should stop promoting unhealthy
soft drinks.
b) 23% of the respondents don’t have any problem.
c) 31% of the respondents don’t have any comment.

17) What all changes do you want the manufacture to make in it to promote sale?

Quality Price 34
Advertisement More flavour Other specified
48% 33% 14% 10% 0%
 ANALYSIS:

From the survey it was found that amongst 80 respondents

a) 48% of the respondents want manufacture to increase quality to promote sale.

b) 33% of the respondents want manufacture to change price to promote sale.
c) 14% of the respondents want manufacture to put more concentration on
advertisement to promote sale.
d) Only 10% of respondent want manufacture to add more flavour to soft drink so
as to promote sale.

18) In your opinion which all deceases could the pesticides in the soft drinks cause?
35

Tooth Pregnancy
Cancer Paralysation decaying issues Don’t know
25% 13% 26% 11% 25%
 ANALYSIS:
From the survey it was found that amongst 80 respondents.

a) 25% of the respondents think that cancer is caused by the pesticides in soft
drinks
b) 13% of the respondents think that paralysation is caused
c) 26% of the respondents think that tooth decaying is caused by the pesticides in
the soft drinks.
d) Out of this about 7% of the respondents thinks that all the above deceases are
caused by pesticides.
e) 25% of the respondents don’t know what decease is caused by the pesticides in
the soft drinks.

19) Soft drinks such as colas contain significant quantities of?

36
Caffeine Nicotine Tannin Rennin Don’t know
40% 10% 3% 4% 43%
 ANALYSIS:

From the survey it was found that amongst 80 respondents

a) 40% of the respondents know that soft drinks contain caffeine.

b) 10% of the respondent thinks that there is nicotine in soft drinks.
c) 3% of the respondents know that soft drinks contain tannin.
d) 4% of the respondents know that soft drinks contain rennin.
e) 43% of the respondents don’t have any knowledge what soft drink contain.

20) What are the things that govt. need to do, to stop the unhealthy practices carried down by
soft drink companies? 37

Increase standards Frequent quality check Control on Advertisement

30% 59% 11%
 ANALYSIS:

From the survey it was found that amongst 80 respondents.

a) 30% of the respondents feel that government should increase the standards.
b.) 59% of the respondents feel that there should be frequent quality check.
c) 11% of the respondents feel that there should be control on advertisement.

38
21) Do you prefer the usage of plastic bottles of soft drinks?

Yes No
 64% 36%

ANALYSIS:

From the survey it was found that amongst 80 respondents

a) 64% of the respondents prefer the usage of plastic bottles.

b) 36% of the respondents do not prefer the after use of plastic bottles.

39
 SUGGESTIONS

SUGGESTIONS
 In the survey conducted, it was suggested by most of the
respondent that govt. should have frequent quality check in
order to promote sales and to attain consumer satisfaction.

 Frequent consumption of soft drink will cause health problems.

 From the survey more than half of the respondent suggested that
they prefer use of plastic bottles instead of other.

 Advertisement acts as a very important role here. So if heavy

advertisements are carried out it will definitely increase
purchase.

 It is also to be noted that govt. should also take guard of health

of the consumer, so appropriate measures are to be taken.

 Prices are to be reduced to increase sales, since the consumers

are aware that they are charged 10times more than the price of
the drink.

 If the quality is not improved than its better that superstar should
stop promoting unhealthy products.

40
LIMITATION OF
THE STUDY

LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

 The study was confined to some areas of KANNUR only.
 Chances of some biasness could not be eliminated.
 Time was the major constrain. Only limited sample size (80) was
possible for such a vast research on such a period of time .i.e. one
month
 Interaction with the respondents was also limited due to their busy
work.
 Due to the changing life style and preferences, it was not necessary
that they will consume same soft drink every time.
 There was a chance that respondent will make assumptions while
filling the questionnaire.

41
CONCLUSION

CONCLUSION
Following are the concluding points taken into consideration after the conduct
of the research study:
 An important finding that emerged out of the survey was that 83%of
people like to have soft drinks while 17% not like.

 Through the research it was conveyed that weekly consumption of soft

drinks is more than daily consumption

 Most of the respondents view soft drinks as an aid to put off thirst

 A majority of the respondents consume soft drinks at the time of parties

& celebrations.

 Most of the respondents consume soft drinks because of its taste.

 Most of the respondents were of the strong view that advertisements
affect their purchases.
 Considering the TV ad thums up is liked mere but TV ad does not made
most of the consumer switch on to that one.
 About half of the respondent told that taking too much of the soft drink
would cause health problems but very few of them caused health problem
before.
 Most of the respondent like Miranda since they like orange flavor.
 49% of them reduced consuming soft drinks after plachimada incidents.
 Most of them concluded while saying that the govt. to do frequent quality
check in order to increase sale without causing harm to consumers.

42
ANNEXURE
QUESTIONNAIRE

PERSONAL DETAILS

Name - …………………………………….
Age - 15-25 25-35 35-50
Gender - Male Female
Occupation - Student Housewife Business Service

1) Do you like soft drinks?

Yes No

2) Frequency of consumption of soft drink in a week?

Daily 2-4times more than 4 times once in a week

3) On what occasions, do you often consume the Soft Drinks?

Feeling Thirsty Without any reason (just like that)
Parties / Celebrations Others, please specify…………………..
4) What induces you to buy Soft Drinks?
Price with quantity Health Drink Status symbol
Taste Variety Advertisement
5) Do advertisements affect your purchases?
To greater extend To great extend Neutral To less extend To
lesser extend
6) Which soft drink do you like more?
Cocacola Pepsi Mirinda
Limca Maaza Other(specify)……………………………
7) Do you take the same soft drink every time?
Yes No
8) Which flavor do you like most?
Mango Orange lemon
Apple Other(specify) ________
9) How do you rate canned juices as compared to fresh juices?
Equivalent to fresh juices Have artificial added flavor Healthy with
preservatives Not as healthy
10) Do you think taking too much soft drink would cause health problems?
Yes No No comment

43
11) Have these drinks caused any health problem for you before?
Yes No
12) Are aware that you are being priced more than 10 times than of the real price of the
drink?
Yes No
13) Considering the TV ad.which soft drink ad do you like more?
Cocacola Pepsi Mirinda Thumsup Maaza
Others specify…………………..
14) After seeing the ad did you like to switch on to that one?
Yes No
15) After the Plachimada incident have you reduced consuming soft drinks?
Yes No
16) Do you think the super stars should stop promoting unhealthy soft drinks?
Yes No No comment
17) What all changes do you want the manufacturer to make in it to promote sale?
Quality Price Advertisement More Flovour
Others (specify)……………………….
18) In your openion which all desesase could the pesticides in the soft drink cause?
Cancer Paralisation Tooth decaying Pregnancy issues
Don’t know Others specify
19) Soft drinks such as colas contain significant quantities of
Caffeine Nicotine Tannin Rennin Don’t
know
20) What are the things that govt. need to do, to stop the unhealthy practices carried down
by soft drink companies?
Increase standards Frequent quality checks Control on
advertisement
21) Do you prefer the after usage of plastic bottles of soft drinks/
Yes No

44
BIBLIOGRAPHY
BIBLIOGRAPHY

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beverage

• www.foodindustryindia.com

• http://fnbnews.com/article/detarchive.asp?articleid=25105&sectionid=3

• http://fnbnews.com/article/detarchive.asp?articleid=24983&sectionid=3

• http://fnbnews.com/article/detarchive.asp?articleid=24965&sectionid=3

• http://fnbnews.com/article/detarchive.asp?articleid=24849&sectionid=3

• http://fnbnews.com/article/detarchive.asp?articleid=25039&sectionid=3

• http://www.foodindustryindia.com/newfood/detailnews.jsp?n=Xtazy,%20another
%20energy%20drink%20for%20the%20Indian%20market&id=598

• http://fnbnews.com/redfr.asp?fn=/other/aboutus.asp&title=About%20Us#Food&b
everage

• www.google.com

• Kothari C R, “Research and Methodology- Methods & Techniques”, New Age

International (P) Ltd., 2004

45