CONSUMER BRAND PREFERENCE IN THE
PURCHASE OF BEVERAGE IN ENUGU
METROPOLIS
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF
THE STUDY
This
study is more concern on the CONSUMER BRAND PREFERENCE IN THE PURCHASE OF
BEVERAGES IN ENUGU METROPOLIS. Rightly,
from the time immemorial, there had been several cases of the purchase of
different brand of beverages consumption either domestically or for commenced
purpose.
Consumer brand preference in the
purchase of beverage is simply the procurrent of different brand of beverages
in the relation to their choices in the highest order.
Based on the study we shall focus on
the various brands of beverage purchased by consumers which are divided into
two groups:-
The
locally processed and foreign processed ones:
Conversely,
under the locally processed ones. We
have the popularly known Lulu Juice, Soya milk, Zobo drink and some of the
foreign beverage, coca cola soft drink, Heineken beer, Eva wine most
importantly, the manners in which consumers behave towards the purchase of
these aforementioned brands determine their taste, which is backed-p by their
level of income. With this, one may ask
why do sellers prefer to brand their products and the meaning of branding. Branding is the name, term, sign, symbol or
design or a combination of them, intended to identify the goods or services of
ones sellers or group of sellers and to differentiate them from those
competitors.
Today, branding is such a strong force
that hardly anything goes unbranded. Beverage
is branded with separate brand names from the producer for the following
reasons: Brand name makes it easier for
the seller to process order and track down problems. Furthermore, the seller finds it easier to
trace the order if it is missed or to determine why the beverages was rancid if
consumers complain. The brand name gives
the seller the opportuni9ty to attract a loyal and profitable set of
consumers. This create brand loyalty to
sellers thereby ensuring protection from competition and greater control in
planning their marketing mix. It also
makes it possible for a company to create a preferential demand for their
products in a class of products.
With these one can see that beverages
distributors want brand names as a means of making their product easier to
handle, identifying suppliers holding production to certain quality standards
and increasing buying preference. And
consumers want brand names to help them identify quality difference and shop
more efficiently.
Looking at the purchasing of the brand
of beverage; most consumers that belong to the peasant group always go for the
locally processed beverage because they fill it is the cheapest brand that
money can buy.
1.2 STATEMENT
OF THE PROBLEM
Majority
of the consumers of beverage in Enugu Metropolis go for the locally processed
beverage because it has been recently find out by researchers that the locally
processed beverage e.g. Soya milk contain high protein which is very good for
the body system and contains low sugar substance than the foreign beverage e.g.
cocoa. Also doctors recommend the
locally beverage to people that are lacking vitamin and cant buy those expenses
drugs or vitamins table of beverage over another thereby given rise to prior
choice.
BRAND
– A name of trademark used to identify a product.
CONSUMERS
– One who uses economic goods or services.
UNETHICAL
PRACTICES – The application of ethics and unsound business practices and an
unconscious actions.
BRIDGE
THE PURCHASE – Effort aimed at Channeling ideas properly towards.
1.3 PURPOSE OF
STUDY
This research puts us in a position
to rectify why the locally processed brand is preferred and the problems
militating against it:
i.
To ascertain why the less
un-enlighten goes for the foreign processed brands
ii.
To find out why people trade on the
foreign brands in spite of the low prices of the local beverage.
iii.
To find out the factors responsible
for poor processing of beverage by this local processors.
iv.
To find out possible solutions on
how to bridge the purchasing gap between the locally processed beverage and the
foreign processed brand of beverage.
1.4 SCOPE AND
LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
The scope of this study is focused
on the consumers beverage in Enugu
metropolis. But due to some humiliation
that hindered the adequate research work, such as:
a.
Insufficient literatures related to
the consumer brand preference in the purchase of beverage are not
available. Instead the research used
books of different authors in reviewing consumer behaviour.
b.
Finance to carryout the necessary
work and time limit caused but eh short academic year.
c.
The problem of collecting data in
current statistics on brand preference in the purchase of beverage and
libraries complain about lack of information.
d.
Meeting an appropriate processors
and willing consumers posed a problem.
1.3 SIGNIFICANCE
OF THE STUDY
Over
the years there has been inequality in the consumer brand preference in the
purchase of beverage. This study shall
enable use to sort out the factors responsible for this trend.
So, the study will be great benefit to
the marketers, processors and in particular the consumers.
Finally, it is hoped that thus
research work will be helpful to new processors an sellers so that they might
know the reigning brand and how to improve on the low grade ones. So as to bridge the inequality gap among
various brand.
Sometimes, the producers usually
maximize profit by adding more water to the beverage, which is an unethical
practice. Then back to the exotic brands
the reverse is the case and most consumers go for these brands because they
fell its more hygienic compare to the locally made product due to the level of
civilization both the poor and rich go for the foreign beverage.
Now, in Enugu metropolis, the purchase of foreign
beverage has risen tremendously because one can seldom find locally sell it
most in the campus. And we are posed
with the issue of the variable that affect the low consumption of locally
processed beverage in Enugu
metropolis.
1.6 RESEARCH
QUESTIONS
i.
Which brand of beverage is
mostly preferred by consumer in Enugu Metropolis?
ii.
What factors do consumers of
beverage consider when buying a particular brand?
iii.
Does brand name influence or
determine brand preference of beverage?
iv.
Does personality affect the brand
preference of beverage?
v.
What can be alone to improve the
quality or test of the locally processed beverage?
1.7 DEFINITION OF
TERMS
Preference – the choice of one brand.