Department of business studies

A
Project report
On
CONSUMER BEHAVIOR TOWARD LUX SOAP
UNDER THE GUIDENCE OF
MS. KANGAN JAIN

SUBMITTED BY- ROHIT KUMAR

BBS 2ND YEAR
ROLL NO.-2063

Declaratio
n
I hereby declare that this Project Report titled Business
Research Project on Consumer Behaviour towards LUX
SOAPS submitted to the Department of Business Studies,
Keshav Mahavidyalaya (Delhi University) is a record of original
work done by me under the guidance of Ms. Kangan Jain.
The information and data given in the report is authentic to the
best of my knowledge.
This Project Report is not submitted to any other university or
institution for the award of any degree, diploma or fellowship or
published any time before.

-ROHIT KUMAR

ACKNOWLEDGE
MENT
This project is a result of dedicated
effort. It gives us immense pleasure to
prepare this report on CONSUMER

BEHAVIOR TOWARD LUX

SOAP
I would like to thank my project guide,
Ms. Kangan Jain for consultative help
and constructive suggestion on matter
in this project. I would like to thank my
parent and my colleagues who helped
me in making in this project a successful
one

S.N
O.

TOPIC

PAGE
NO.

INTRODUCTION

1-2

INDUSTRY PROFILE

2-4

COMPANY PROFILE

5-6

OBJECTIVE

LIMITATION

PRODUCT PROFILE

8-9

SUMMARY OF
RESPONSES

10-20

ANNEXURE

21-25

INTRODUCTION
Consumer is the king of any business activity. It is very
important for any marketing person to know how the consumer
perceives different things and how he behaves accordingly. So
consumer research is imperative for the success of any
marketing effort. Hence an attempt is made in the present
Chapter to study the behavior and perception of consumer.
First of all perception is defined as the process of receiving,
selecting organizing, interpreting, checking and reacting to
sensory stimuli or data.
Consumer behavior is defined as behavior that consumer
display in searching for purchasing, using evaluating and
disposing of product and services that they expect will satisfy
their needs.
The study of consumer behavior is the study of how the
individuals make decision to spend their available resources
like time, money, effort, etc, on consumption related items. It
includes the study of what they buy, when they buy it, why
they buy it, where they buy it, how often they buy it and often
use it.
As marketer, it is important to recognize why and how
individuals make their consumption decision, so that we make
better strategic marketing decision. If marketer understand
consumer behavior they are able to predict how consumer are
likely to react to various information and environmental cues
and are able to shape their marketing strategies accordingly.
With out doubt, marketers who understand consumer behavior
will have great competitive edge in the market.
Consumer behavior is relatively new field of study in the midto-late 1960s with no body of research of its own, the
discipline borrowed heavily from concepts developed in other
scientific disciplines, such as Psychology (study of individuals),
Sociology (Study of groups), Social psychology ( study of how
an individual operates in groups), Anthropology ( the influence
of society on individuals) and Economies.
The initial thrust of consumer behavior was from a managerial
prospective, marketing manager wanted to know the specific
causes of consumer behavior. They also wanted to know how
people receive store and use consumption related information
so that they could design marketing strategies to influence
consumption decision. They regard consumer behavior
disciplines as an applied marketing science.

There are number of reasons why the study of consumer

behavior was developed as a separate marketing discipline.
Marketers had long noted that consumer did not act or react as
marketing theory would suggest. The size of the consumer
market in every country is vast and constantly expanding.
Large amount were being spent on goods and services by
millions of peoples. Consumer preference were changing and
becoming highly diversified. Even in industrial markets, where
needs for goods and services were always more homogeneous
than in consumer markets, buyers were exhibiting diversified
preference and less predictable purchase behavior.
As marketing people began to study the buying behavior of
consumer, they soon realized that despite a sometimes mo
too approach to fact and fashions, many consumer rebelled at
using the identical product everyone else used. Instead they
preferred differentiated product that they felt reflected their
own special new personalities and life styles.
So by studying consumer behavior marketing people will be
able to needs of different groups of customers more efficiently.

INDUSTRY PROFILE
ABOUT THE SOAP INDUSTRY:
ORIGIN OF SOAP INDUSTRY:
History of soap dates way back from 2350 years. Soap
manufacturing was started in North America. Early in the
history of Europe colonies and of the republic. Some American
companies with currently well-known names were started 50 to
200 years ago. During middle ages, soap was made at various
places in Italy, France, Spain, England and possible other
countries.
Mankind knew about soap nearly 200 years back 70 A.D. when
Mr.Pllny and Mr. elder evidentially discovered the soap when
roasted meat over flowed on the flow in ashes. This lump like
product was soap and had foaming and cleansing character.
Since then 1192 A.D. that in the first time detergent was taken
in London. It is in 1931 A.D. that in the first time detergent was
discovered by Mr.Grency with the sulphated olive oil and
almond oil. The wood consumption of soap in 1884 A.D. was
said to be lakhs/ton per annum and it was in this year Mr.W.H.L.
ever entered the field of the soap making in a big way.
SOAP INDUSTRY IN INDIA:

Soap industry in India began with M/S Godrej setting up their

manufacturing unit in 1918 at Mumbai and M/S government
soap factory in Bangalore. The industry stagnated due to the in
informed price control. The industry soon recovered and
experienced sharp ups wing during 1974.
PROBLEMS OF SOAP INDUSTRY:
Soap industry faces some problems in the case of raw
materials. The major ingredients like soap ash, linear alkyl,
benzene and sodium Tripoli phosphate poses number of series
in terms of availability.
The demand supply gap to vegetable oil is 1.5-2 lakhs tons and
is met through imports. In recent months, price of caustic soda
has shown a rising trend. The contents of soda ash in the
cheaper varieties of soap are quite high.
FUTURE OF SOAP INDUSTRY:
The growth prospects seems to be enormous considering the
fact that the per capita income consumption in India is as low
at 0.30kg over the year we have M/S HUL, M/S TAMCO,LUX
etc., leading the industry in the field of soap manufacture,
growth of population, income
Consumption, expenditure increased in urban cities spread of
education, growing degree of personal hygiene etc., has
increased by the spread of audio-visual media, rising incomes
and general consciousness about the health.
ABOUT THE BUSINESS:
Major players & market shares:
Hindustan Unilever ltd., (HUL) is the leader for the toilet
soap industry in India with a 60% share in the market. Other
major players from LUX is facing competition are Godrej soaps,
Wipro, Procter & Gamble, Colgate Palmolive, Johnson & Johnson
etc.,
Their market shares is as follows

COMPANIE
S

MARKET
SHARES

HUL

60

TATA OIL
MILLS

13

DOVE

07

GODREJ
SOAPS

05

NIRMA

08

OTHERS

07

MARKET SCENARIO
Of the nearly 7 lakhs tons toilet soap, market for 500 tons
comes from the premium segment, 3 lakhs tons won carbolic
segment and the rest are from the batting or popular segment.
There are 40 brands in the total toilet soap market. In the
popular segment Liril, Cinthol, Palmolive, Lux international have
been well established in the market. In the popular segment
lux, rexona, hamam, santore have a strong presence while
among the carbolic soap lifebuoy, Ok, nirma have proved their
worth.
The important point is that the price of the soap between the
various brands generally varies between 50 paise and rupee.
The soap industry does not face serious problems to the raw
materials front.
In recent times, the price of caustic soda have shows a using
trend. This contents of soda ash is the cheaper varieties of
soap in quite higher linear alkyls benzene, being an important
input in manufacture of soaps the future of this soap industry is
very much dependent on this input. It is capital incentives
during the around in 700-800 cores.

SEGMENTATION OF SOAPS
The Following table lists the key brands of the main
companies.

COMPANY

BRAND

SEGMENTATION

Godrej soaps

Cinthol

Premium

Godrej no 1

Popular

Marvel

Popular

Lifebuoy(plus,
gold,family,liquid)

Carbolic

Lux(international,

Premium

Dove

Premium

Face washes,
Shower gel)

Premium

Liril,pears,

Premium

Jai,breeze

Popular

P&G

Camay

Premium

WIPRO

Santoor,baby soft

Premium

Wipro shikakai

Popular

My sore sandal soap

Premium

My sore sandal gold

Premium

HENKET-SPIC

Margo

Popular

COLGATEPALMOLIVE

Palmolive natural

Premium

HUL

KS&DL

COMPANY PROFILE
Hindustan unilever limited is the Indian established of
the worlds most famous multinational company namely
unilever limited. This is a very pros porous company is the
FMCG segment i.e., the fast moving consumer goods. The
company has very much well established R&D supports and a
good marketing practices and network.
The main purpose of Hindustan unilever limited is to meet the
everyday needs of people everywhere-to anticipate the
aspirations of our consumer and customer and to responds
creatively and competitively with branded products and
services which raise the quality of life. H.U.Ls deep roots in
local culture and markets around the worlds are its unparallel
inheritance and the foundation for our future growth. H.U.L will
brings its wealths of knowledge and international expertise to
the service of local customer a truly multi-local multinational.
H.U.Ls long term success requires a total commitment to
exceptional standards of performs and productivity, to working
together effectively and to a willingness to embrace new ideas
and learn continuously.
H.U.L believes that to succeed requires the highest standards
of corporate behavior towards its employees, the consumers,
the societies and world in which we live.
This is Hindustan unilever Limiteds road sustainable, profitable
growth for our business and long term value creation for our
shareholders and employees.
To realize this commitment which H.U.L has from the
consumers, employees, the society and the environment, it has
set for itself certain sacrosanct policies and principles. These
policies and practices, has earned H.U.L the goodwill and trust
of people across the country.
It is certainly H.U.Ls brands and its people, but also its support
systems. H.U.Ls research centre is the largest private sector
industrial research laboratory of its kind in India. H.U.Ls
enviable reach in the remote heartland make its kind in India.

H.U.L understands the importance of savings for the future

generation, the simple pleasures that our planet has
continuously offered. Necessary measures that H.U.L has
enforced in its factories for environment protection and
pollution control, H.U.L has also taken up projects on energy
conservation, watershed management, tree plantation and soil
conservation.

MARKETING
HUL is present in home and personal care and
Foods & Beverages categories. HUL and group companies have
about 40,000 employees, including 1425 managers.
For marketing HUL divides the country into four
regions, with regional branches in Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai and
Mumbai. Headed by a regional manager, they comprise
regional sales manager and area sales manager, assisted by
dedicated field forces, comprising sales officers and territory
sales in charges.
In marketing, each category has a marketing
manager who heads a team of brand managers dedicated to
each or a group of brands. The brand managers, wherever
appropriate, focus exclusively on brand strategy or
implementation.

MANUFACTURING
Each division has a nationwide manufacturing
base, with each factory peopled by teams of production,
engineering, quality assurance, commercial and personal
managers.

OBJECTIVES
Objectives:

To find out factor that influence a person to buy a

particular brand of soap,
To find out the opinion about the LUX.
To evaluate the effectiveness of advertisement of
LUX.
To know the awareness of the people towards
different brands of toilet

LIMITATIONS:
The study is limited to ELECTRONIC MAIL only.
The data is collected from questionnaire nature i.e., views, opinions,
perception etc., may be changed time. So it is not convenient for
longer period.
The time period given for the study is one month. So the study is
undertaken only at ELECTRONIC MAIL, by keeping in view of time
period allotted.
On few occasions consumer may be biased in giving information.
Samples size is restricted to 58 only due to paucity of time.

PRODUCT PROFILE
Lux is a global brand developed by Unilever. The range of products includes
beauty soaps, shower gels, bath additives, hair shampoos and conditioners. Lux
started as Sunlight Flakes laundry soap in 1899.
In 1924, it became the first mass market toilet soap in the world. It is noted as a
brand that pioneered female celebrity endorsements.
As of 2005, Lux revenue is at 1.0 billion euros, with market shares spread out to
more than 100 countries across the globe.
Today, Lux is the market leader in several countries including Brazil, India,
Thailand and South Africa.
One of the most popular beauty products India in terms of
soaps and body washes is LUX soap. For years, LUX has been
one of the India top soaps that offer a way to gain smooth
and fair looking skin without worrying too much on how old
the user is. LUX soap came from one of the biggest
corporation in the India today, Unilever. LUX is a personal
care brand owned by Unilever. LUX is primarily made from
synthetic surfactants, as well as some vegetable oil based
soap ingredients, such as sodium palm kernelate. LUX is
formulated to be pH neutral, with a pH that is usually
between 6.5 and 7.5.
LUX products are manufactured in the Netherlands, Untied
States, Germany, Ireland and Brazil. The LUX trademark and
brand name is currently owned by Unilever. LUXs logo is a
silhouette profile of a dove, the color of which often varies.
LUXs products include: antiperspirants/deodorants, body
washes, beauty bars, lotions/moisturizers, hair care and facial
care products.
In the US, LUX bar soap is currently produced in the cool
moisture, exfoliating, sensitive skin unscented, nutrium
nourishing, white, pink, calming night, pro-age, and energy
glow versions.

LUX soap was launched in the United States in 1957. , years

after Unilever acquired soap factory De Duif (Dutch: The Dove)
in The Netherlands, from which the English brand name LUX is
derived.

LUX has been positioned throughout its history without

referring to it as soap, but as a beauty bar with one-fourth
cleansing cream; they stress its moisturizing of skin while
washing in contrast to the drying effects of regular soaps(which
their advertising calls simply soap).
Advertisements reinforced the message by showing the cream
being poured into the beauty bar. In 1979, the phrase
cleansing cream was replaced with moisturizer cream. In
1979, a Pennsylvania dermatologist showed that LUX dried and
irritated skin significantly less than ordinary soaps. As a result
of the study, Unilever started aggressive marketing and won
more than 24% of the market by 2003.
LUX has grown from a US-only soap bar into one of Unilevers
biggest gl brand, and #3 in the Anglo-Dutch companys
portfolio behind Knorr and Lir extend the brand across the
complete personal care spectrum, and LUX now soap to shower
gel, and from deodorants to shampoo-conditioners. LUX has for
its marketing. In 2003 Ogilvy & Mather launched a series of ads
for Dc women. The brand competes fiercely with Procter &
Gambles Olay, Beiersd Neutrogena, all of which have a
similarly broad product range

SUMMARY

OF

RESPONSES

OF

MY

QUESTIONNAIRE

58 responses
Summary
1. Name
Rahul saket anand Sarthak madan mavi Ravi kumar MOHIT KUMAR pradip Hitesh chirag jain kakuli
khanra yamini Piyush Sharma Pawan Kumar manish kumar riya chaturvedi Anand Verma shubham
rana Gaurav Sukhija chetna riyasat vineet singh pankaj vinay ROHIT KUMAR divya keshav
krishan omid geetanjali thakur gaurav ANKIT SHARMA Navneet Meghna Ashish bharat Dimple
arya deepanshu chaudhary Bhavya Garg Puneet Kaur Maria Elena Akshay salmeit
kaur Gulshan Divya rahul raj akanksha
setia chasminda Aabid sarthak Shilpa gaurav kawaljeet Baljeet Kaur priyanka rawat Arpit

THIS ARE ALL THE PEOPLE WHO FILLED MY QUESTIONNAIRE

2. Age
39 37 22 23 20+ 19 18 16 21 20 20 20 21 22 19 18 19 20 20 22 22 21 21 21 21 21 18 19 19 19 20 20
20 20 20 20 22 21 20 19 19 23 20 23 22 20 19 21 22 21 20 23 25 26 21 20 21 years 19yrs

Average age rage lies b/w 19-22

3. Gender

male

35

64%

Female

20

36%

64% out of 100% are male and rest 20 % are female

4. Occupation:

B.sc Student Teacher study student housewife STUDENT Medical student Student

5. Family monthly income

<25,000

12

23%

25,000-50,000

14

27%

50,000-75,000

10

19%

75,000-1,00,000

17%

>1,00,000

13%

6. Family type

Joint

19

34%

Nuclear

37

66%

7. Do you use soaps for every bath/ shower:

Yes

54

96%

No

4%

96% people like use soap while taking bath out of 100% rest 4% avoid using it
because of skin sensitiveness or they they like to use liquid soaps while taking bath.
8. How many bath soaps do you personally require every month?

14%

26

46%

11

20%

4 and above

11

20%

The above figure shows the no. of soaps use by person for their personal use in a
month. The result shows that out of 100%, 46 % people use 2 soaps for their
personal use in a month, 20% people use 3 soaps, 20% people use 4 or more and
rest 14% use only 1 soaps for their personal use monthly.
9. How many bath soaps do you buy for your household every month?

9%

13%

16%

35

63%

6 And Above

The figure above shows the total no. of soaps used by the whole family of a person
10. Which kind of bath soaps do you like?

Foamy

17

13%

Thick lather

5%

Transparent

5%

33

25%

Colored

2%

Glycerin

14

11%

Medicinal

22

17%

Neem

19

15%

Sandal

11

8%

Milky

In this question, we asked people about types of soaps people use. So, maximum
(25%) people like to use milky soaps because people like it for gentleness to skin. 17
% like foamy, 5 %like thick lather, 5 % like transparent, 2% like colored, 11% like
glycerin, 17 % like medicinal, 15 % like neem, 11% like sandal
11. What is the maximum price you spend for standard sized bath soap?
35 40 100 - 200 50-60 22 25 30 15 1 dollar 20 100 90 80 15-30/pics 70 Rs.40 approx 40-50 45 46 50

12. What is the average price you have paid in recent months for bath soap?
35 150 2p 42 40 50(4 mnths average) 200 25 around 300 to 400 30 14 Rs.100
approx 20 100 90 10 88 125 300 1,5o dollar 70 75 40-50 not remembercan't recall 47 140 50

13. Which brand do you prefer the most?

Lux
Dove

13%

21

40%

Lifebuoy
Hammam
Other

12

23%

0%

12

23%

This is the total brand preference of soaps by different persons. So, maximum
people like to use dove because dove is very well known brand for its gentleness to
skin, 23% of people prefer to use lifebuoy, 23 % use other soaps, only 13% people
use lux which states that this particular brand is not very popular among the peoples.
This is because of very intense competition in soap industry.
14. Do you change from one brand of soap to another?

Yes

29

53%

No

26

47%

53% people used to switch their soaps brand to another because either they were
not satisfied from their current brand they are using or they are influenced by the
other brand.
15. If yes, How often did you change brands in the last 6 months?

Once

11

33%

Twice

27%

13

39%

Many times

The data is given here about how many times a person switch their soap brand in
past 6 month. 33% people changed only once, 27% people change twice and 39 %
changed many times
16. Have you ever used Lux soap, If yes which things you like most in it?

Perfume

21

30%

Color

12%

lather

10%

Hygienic

13%

protect skin and suits your skin

12

17%

value for money

12

17%

0%

Other

Features which are liked by lux users are perfume(30%), color (12%), lather (10%),
hygienic (13%), protect and suits skin (17%), value for money (17%)
17. If no, it is because:

Lack of awareness

12%

Lack of availability

4%

You find it expensive

12%

17

68%

4%

You dont like the product

Other

Reason behind why people not able to use lux soaps is that maximum people(68%)
dont like the product, lack of awareness (12%), find it expensive(12%) and other
reason (1%)

18. You came to know about Lux soap from:

Newspaper advertisements

13

17%

3%

TV advertisements

46

61%

Word of mouth

10

13%

Point of sale

4%

Other

1%

Radio

The outcome shows that TV. advertisement plays a very important role to educate
people about the product. 61% out of 100% influenced by only TV ads. Rest
influenced by the newspaper ads (17%), radio (3%), word of mouth (13%), point of
sale (4%) and others (1%)
19. Do you remember any of the TV advertisements of Lux soap?

yes
no

47

89%

11%

20. Does celebrity endorsement prompt you to purchase Lux soap?

yes

18

34%

no

35

66%

21. Have you tried new variants of Lux soap after viewing the advertisements?

yes

20

36%

no

35

64%

64% people like have not tried the new variants of lux, the reason for not trying might
be that the variant is not available into the market, or they have no trust on the new
variants
22. Which of the offers available influence you the most to purchase Lux Soap?

Discounts offer

11%

Buy one get one

15

32%

Combo pack

25

53%

4%

Other

In this we can see that maximum people(53%) influenced by the combo offers provided by
the company because on that scheme tey can get more discount while purchasing. Rest mat
be influenced by discount offer (11%), buy one get one free (32%), and other(4%)
23. Is Lux Soap easily available to you?

yes
no

53

98%

2%

98% people said that lux soap is easily available to their locality because lux is a
very well-known international brand in many countries
24. From where do you usually purchase Lux Soap?

Nearby Store

34

71%

Retail Store

12

25%

4%

Whole Seller

Maximum people (71%) like to purchase soaps from their nearby store because
these stores are located near to their house and people find it very convenient to
purchase from there. Another reason may be that the nearby seller may influence the
buyer decision because they have very contact with customer to their locality & may
have complete knowledge about the product. Rest of that purchase from retail
outlets (25%) and whole seller (4%) the reason might be that they get handsome
discount while purchasing from them, or they like to purchase in bulk.
25. Which type of Lux Soap you like the most?

Peach Milk

15%

Cream Milk

21

46%

Pink Cream

20%

Badam Milk

20%

Here the preference is given for the lux soaps by the respondents who use it. So
maximum 46% people like luxs cream milk soap because Refresh and replenish

skin after a long days work with lux creamy white. This soap is enriched with
ultra-caring Swiss moisturizers which makes the bar so creamy that it feels like
dollop of cream in your hand. The soap produces a luxurious lather and glides
smoothly on the skin to make it smooth and moisturized. Rest 54% like the other
varieties available in the market, i.e. peach cream (7%), pink cream (20%),
badam milk (20%)
26. What is the size of the Lux Soap you usually purchase?

100g

17

37%

200g

25

54%

300g

9%

So the maximum people (54%) like to purchase bar of 200g, because this size is
easily available into the market because and fit into their budget
27. How frequently you purchase Lux Soap?

Every Week

13%

Every fortnight

4%

Every month

13%

Occasionally

32

70%

So, as we can see here lux soaps is not very popular into the indian market because of very intense
competition in soap industry. 70% people purchase it occasionally, rest of them purchase it every
week(13%), every fortnightly(4%), every month(13%)

Annexure
ANALYSIS OF CONSUMER
BEHAVIOR TOWARD LUX SOAP
1. Name

2. Age

3. Gender

male

female
4. Occupation:

5. Family monthly income

<25,000

25,000-50,000

50,000-75,000

75,000-1,00,000

>1,00,000
6. Family type

Joint

Nuclear

7. Do you use soaps for every bath/ shower:

Yes

No
8. How many bath soaps do you personally require every month?

4 and above
9. How many bath soaps do you buy for your household every month?

6 And Above
10. Which kind of bath soaps do you like?

Foamy

Thick lather

Transparent

Milky

Colored

Glycerin

Medicinal

Neem

Sandal
11. What is the maximum price you spend for standard sized bath soap?

12. What is the average price you have paid in recent months for bath soap?

13. Which brand do you prefer the most?

Lux

Dove

Lifebuoy

Hammam

Other:
14. Do you change from one brand of soap to another?

Yes

No
15. If yes, How often did you change brands in the last 6 months?

Once

Twice

Many times
16. Have you ever used Lux soap, If yes which things you like most in it?

perfume

color

lather

hygienic

protect skin and suits your skin

value for money

Other:
17. If no, it is because:

Lack of awareness

Lack of availability

You find it expensive

You dont like the product

Other:
18. You came to know about Lux soap from:

Newspaper advertisements

Radio

TV advertisements

Word of mouth

Point of sale

Other:
19. Do you remember any of the TV advertisements of Lux soap?

yes

no
20. Does celebrity endorsement prompt you to purchase Lux soap?

yes

no
21. Have you tried new variants of Lux soap after viewing the advertisements?

yes

no
22. Which of the offers available influence you the most to purchase LuxSoap?

Discounts offer

Buy one get one

Combo pack

Other:
23. Is Lux Soap easily available to you?

yes

no
24. From where do you usually purchase Lux Soap?

Nearby Store

Retail Store

Whole Seller
25. Which type of Lux Soap you like the most?

Peach Milk

Cream Milk

Pink Cream

Badam Milk
26. What is the size of the Lux Soap you usually purchase?

100g

200g

300g
27. How frequently you purchase Lux Soap?

Every Week

Every fortnight

Every month

Occasionally