AN ANALYSIS OF CONSUMER BRAND SWITCHING BEHAVIORS IN SOFT DRINK MARKET (A CASE STUDY OF ENUGU METROPOLIS)

AN ANALYSIS OF CONSUMER BRAND SWITCHING BEHAVIORS IN SOFT DRINK MARKET (A CASE STUDY OF ENUGU METROPOLIS)

ABSTRACT

This project work is based  on  “the  analysis  of  consumer  brand  switching  behaviors  in  soft  drink  market. “A case  study  of  Enugu  metropolis”  The  following  are  the  objectives  which  the  researcher set  to  accomplish  and  these  are:

i.   To  determine  the  impact  of  marketing  mix  on the  consumer  brand  switching  behaviors  in  soft  drink  market;

ii.  To  determine  the  factors  that  promote  consumer  brand  switching   behaviours  in  soft  drink  market:  and

iii.  To  discover  the  relative  strengths of the  various  soft  brands short listed for this  study,  primary  and  secondary  data  were  used. The  primary  data  was  sourced  through  specific  research  instrument  (i.e questionnaire) which  is  distributed and  administered  to the  consumers  and  dealers  of  soft  drink  brands  in  Enugu  metropolis.  Secondary   data  on the  other   land, was  sourced through  authoritative  textbooks,  articles , newspaper  and  journals,  computerized  source, library  and  past  research   work. The  date  collected  from  the  respondents  through  the  requestionnaire were  analyzed  using  tables,  frequencies and  percentages.

Based  on the  objective  on the  objective  of this  study , the  bourley’s  formular  and  chi-  square  (x²)  –  test   tool are  been  used  to determine   the  sample  size  and  in  testing   the  stated   hypothesis   stipulated  for this  study . based on   the  data  analysis, the  following  findings  were  made  and  they  are:

i.             The amount of soft drinks consumed per zonal  areas  in Enugu, metropolis

ii.           The  highest  brand  if soft drink  consumed   in  Enugu

iii.          The reason’s for consumer  brand  switching,  which  include  the  change of  price,  taste,  availability  or  unavailability  of  product   brand,  packaging,  quality,  introduction of  new brand of soft drink,  habit  and  image.

iv.          The  reason  why  consumer   preferred  a particular  brand  of  soft  drink .

Based  on the finding’s  so  far  highlighted  above, the  researcher  made  the  following  recommendations  to  manufactures  and  they are:

i.  The is the  need  for  comprehensive  review  of the  pricing   method,  strategies  and  policies  employed by  manufacturers  with a view  to  develop and  sustain  attractive  pricing  levels for  brands  to ensure continuous   consumer patronage  and  also  attract  new  ones.

ii.  Manufacturers  should  also  employ  all the  marketing  strategies available  to the  such  as  packaging sizes,  contents, bottle  design,  taste,  quality, pricing,  persuasive  advertising, promotion  campaign,  new  brand  introduction  and  line  extension  to  exploit  and  build   the  target  laten demand  and potential  market which  characterize the  Enugu  market  with  a view to increase   consumption  levels as well  as to  diminutive consumer brand  switching   and  gain  brand loyalty.  Finally, the  research   wishes  to  con  that  the  Enugu  soft drink market  is  highly  undeveloped  and  unsophisticated having  one of the  lowest per  sub zonal   consumption  levels  and  currently   having  high  consumer  brand  switching  and cannot  sustain  high  brand  loyalty  has  significant marketing  and  economic  implications for this  country  marketing  and  economic  implications  for  this   premise  that the  following   recommendation  were   made  above  and  must  be  adhere  with  or  else  the  reasons  for  brand  switching  in soft  drink  market  will  step  up  while  the  benefits of  brand  loyalty  from  consumer  will  drastically fall.  And  so,  manufacturers  should  be  very conscious of  recommendations  made  so far.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER ONE

1.0     Introduction

1.1        Background to the Study

1.2        Statement of the Problem

1.3        Objective of the Study

1.4        Research  questions/  hypothesis

1.5        Significance of the Study

1.6        Scope  of the  study

1.7        Definition of Major Terms

Review of Related Literature

Meaning of Consumer Behaviour

2.1        An  overview  of branding

2.2        Consumer responses  to  branding

2.3        Nature  of brand switching

2.4        Soft  drinks  brand  switching   in Nigeria

2.5        Definition  of  consumer  behaviour

2.6        Factors influencing  consumer  behaviour

2.7        A  perception  model

2.8        Maslow’s  hievachy  of needs

Research Methodology

3.1        Sources of Data

3.2        Primary  data

3.3        Secondary  data

3.4        Population  of  the study

3.5        Sample Size Determination and  sample  techniques

3.6        Sampling Technique

3.7        Research Instrument

3.8        Validity/Reliability of responses

3.9        Questionnaire

3.10     Method of  data Analysis

3.11     Limitation  of the study

Data Presentation Analysis and Interpretation

4.1        Presentation,  Analysis and  interpretation data

4.2        Testing of Hypothesis

Discussion  of Findings, Recommendation and Conclusion

5.1        Summary  of  findings

5.2        Recommendations

5.3        Conclusion

Appendix

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1    BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

          The chartered institute of marketing  (1984)  in England defines marketing as “ the management process responsible for identifying, anticipating and satisfying customer requirement profitable.

AN ANALYSIS OF CONSUMER BRAND SWITCHING BEHAVIORS IN SOFT DRINK MARKET (A CASE STUDY OF ENUGU METROPOLIS)