International Journal of Research & Business Innovation (IJRBI) A STUDY ON CONSUMER SATISFACTION TOWARDS NESTLE BABY FOODS IN SALEM CITY *V.Padmapriya *8.Govindasamy *M. Selladurai Abstract A Newborn human being is called a baby. The word probably came from the first spoken sound, “ba-ba”, made by many small babies. The newborn Inman infant is very helpless and depends on adult people for its survival. Newborn babies are perfectly formed by tiny human beings are usually weight bettoeen treo and four kg. Premature babies weight 900 grams or even less and have to be kept alive in a special apparatus called an incubator. If they were kept free from grams and are carefully fed, they can tive and grow to a normal size. They feed on milk which may be provided by sucking at their mother’s breasts, a method of feeding which is characteristic ofall animals, Milk for the baby is especially suited to their needs. Children are valuable assets ofa nation and itis their welfare that strengthens its social and economic development. Infant and child mortality is one of the key items in this Indian demographic scene, Thus, the importance of the subject of infant feeding hardly needs emphasis, It is subject, which concerns about 25-30 million babies that are born annually in our country and several millions of mothers zoho will be rearing them. Key words: Baby products, Infant feedings, Brand preference Introduction As babies grow older, milk alone is not enough for their needs. Within a few weeks or months a baby is fed its first solid food such as cereals or mashed and strained vegetables. Changing babies from milk feeding to eating solid is called weaning,Breast milk is the ideal food for the infant. Human milk has been hailed as “a unique gift to love and a natural resource”. Every baby, as for as possible must be breast fed at least for the first three months and preferable for the first six months of life: Under normal condition, Indian mothers secrete 450 to 600 ml of breast milk daily with 1.2% protein, Mother's Milk is the ideal food for infants. About 150 ml per kg, Per day is the average requirement for a healthy infant. Roughly, we should give one ounce per kg, In each feed, not exceeding eight-once even by the end of the first year.Cereal and fruits were commonly given to infants by one month of age. Babies often did not accept solid food well until at least two and half a month of age. 87% babies were eating, solids, generally cereal and fruits. Although solid foods are being introduced earlier, four months of age or fifty pounds of weight of the infant which comes first has been suggested. They start to give rice cereal at 2-4m, vegetables at 34m, and Juices at 4-5 m, strained meat and egg yolk at 5-6 m and finally, chopped table food at 9m and egg white at 12m. Average Number of Feeds per day ae Number T° weeks 61018 01 month 61018 103 months 5106 3107 monte 4105: “1109 months Sto Bio T2 months 3 Objectives of the Study > To identify that buyers preferences regarding the purchase of Nestle Baby Foods in Salem > To analyze the purchasing pattern of various income groups, age group of the child and the category of consumer, preference of Nestle baby Foods. > To find out the reason for using a particular brand of baby food. > To amalyze the knowledge of the consumers and various attributes like price, quality, quantity and influence of advertisement etc,, > To find out whether the consumers satisfaction and dissatisfaction regarding the purchase of the baby food. Need for the Study There has been high demand for infant food, which are good substitutes for the traditional, homemade, soft goods given to babies. The present day infants foods are readymade, more nutritious and very easy to prepare and at the time of hygienic. Moreover it reduces the dependency on milk, the availability and quality of which is not secure. Sometimes the doctor's advice also, results in increasing the preference towards, these foods. This has tempted to analyze the preference of infant foods among buyers 207 Vol .1 No. 2 July - 2013International Journal of Research & Business Innovation (IJRBI) Methodology Adopted for the Study This research is conducted by means of “Survey Method”. A sample of 75 respondents has been selected at random from the areas of Alagapuram, Fairlands, Gugai, Shevapet and Swarnapuri. It is collected by means of an elaborated direct interview schedule. Sampling Technique The main objective of the study is to assess the consumer behaviour towards NESTLE BABY PRODUCTS. A random sample of 75 respondents in Salem City was selected for the study. It is very difficult to identify the universe. Hence here the simple random sampling technique is used to select the respondents. Statement of the Problem A study on consumer behaviour of nestle baby foods, Salem is an evaluation about the usage Features Number of Percentage Respondents Price 2 Bs Quality 3 30.6 Company name 5 200 Total % 100 Source: Primary Data This table implies that out of 75 respondents. Only 22 [29.33%] respondents purchases the product based on price and 38 [50.66%] respondents purchased the product based on quality and the remaining 15 respondents (20%) are purchasing the product on company name. From this analysis found that majority of the respondents is buyer the product based on the quality features. of the baby foods. In order to find out the solution, Table-3 whether there is some satisfaction among the users Customer opinion about the Price of the baby foods or not. = No.of the fe baby ee Opinion pee Percentage Variety of Nestle Baby Foods Very high 5 6.66 DrndName | NUREOE | recenage High 2 a8 Apple, Wheat & B Ts Arai Moderate 20 40 Vegetables © Rice 8 2400 Tow 5 3 swith Mil Total 73 100 Mined fruits & 3 To SGurCSSETITARADAE pet re ; 75 From the above table, it can be inferred Mitk that 40% of the respondents are moderate, 33.33% Com & Milk @ HF of the respondents are high, 20% of the respondents, Tae a are low and the remaining 6.66% respondents are denoted as very high.From this analysis it is found Eee ¢ ae that majority of the respondents are to be moderate. Total 5 100 Tablet Sc nae The Timings of feeding of Ne Baby Food The table No depicts that out of 75 eho Tota respondents, 20 i.e., 26.67 % prefer Corn & Milk; 18 iS He Ne] Ee | ae |! respondents (24%) use vegetables & Rice with Milk; ee B respondents (17.33%) Prefer Apple, Wheat & | pple Whee & | 8 | 4 | 2 | = | Milk; 8 respondents (10.67%) prefer Mixed fruits & Vegetables & Ree | t1 | 7 | 4 2 57 Wheat only; 7 respondents (9.33%) Prefer Banana, | ith Milk Wheat & Milk only; 5 respondents (6.67%) prefer petesearele et 908 2 S im a wheat & Milk; 4 respondents (5.33%) Prefer Rice & = ere Milk only. Mil ‘Com & Milk a= em] ae es Wheat & Mil oes aaa] ee 13 Total = [s>w]s | Table -2 Features to buy the Product Source: Primary Data It is clear from Table No that all of the respondents prefer wheat only in daytime. It may be due to the fact that digestion of solid food may be problem for children in night hours. Liquid food 208 Vol .1 No. 2 July - 2013International Journal of Research & Business Innovation (IJRBI) Mixed fruits & Wheat is preferred by most of the [yaa |S" | 7, | o | aa | ee |S" | ou respondents in the morning hours, which is true | Sm | mma | me | mye | mm | mee | men | from the above table 4 respondents, are preferred [awe |; |. | 5 Mixed fruits & WheatIn generally vegetables & | _“uu’ | 0% | cm | orm | 10 | 19 | comm | Rice with Milk mostly used than Apple, Wheat & [ne | 1. 1 a3. | aim | atm Soy | Milk, Because Wheat and Vegetables are rich in [=ash {| “™ | OO | OA) | ON oe flavour and apple flavour is preferred due to the | ruse | ')" | cosy) 1039 | spo) 6 mentality of the people that apple is always good | ~armu See ss health, = 102 | xno | sen | cas 2 Table-5 cma as ae eae |e The Brand used for the earlier Child waz oes Bese tale iad Nanbarot Sees we | =| easy | tim | sen | osm | coo Name Respondents ig soy | pew [18 : Nestle 36 cy qa es See ee soe els Fewer | «| aso | wer | uw | voor | om | 100 oe a = Source: Primary Data Gao 6 a From the Table 7 it is clear among 22 respondents children in the age of 8.11 months, 7 nee oe ie, 30.43 percent used to give vegetables & Rice Source: Primary Data Table No. 5 clearly shows that out 75 mothers, 36 i.e., one half used the same brand ie, Nestle for the earlier child, 21 i.e., 28 percent used the brand of Amul and 18 mothers ie, 24 percent used the brand of Glaxo. Table -6 The satisfaction desired for the Quality of the Product ‘Number of Percentage Respondents Tite satisfied 3 7 Satisfied a 36 Moderately 2 76 satisfied Extremely w B satisfied Total co 700 Source: Primary Data The table no.6 depicts that 42 respondents, ie, more than one half are satisfied about the quality of the product. 18 respondents ie, 24 percent says that the quality of the product is extremely satisfied and only 12 respondents, ie, 16 percent says that the quality of the product is moderately satisfied. None of them is saying that the quality of the product is not satisfied. Table -7 Brand Vs Age of the Child with Milk respondents i.e., 26.09 percent used to give Wheat & Milk and 4 ie, 17.39 percent to give Apple, Wheat & Milk. Out of 19 respondent's children who are in-between the age of 4.7 months, 7 respondents, ie., 36.84 percent used to give wheat and Milk, Among 12 respondents children in- between the age of 12-15 months, 4 respondents ic., 33.33 percent used to give vegetables & Rice with Milk respondents ie, 25 percent used to give Wheat & Milk. Out of 10 respondents children in- between the age of 20-23 months, 4 respondents ite,40 percent used to give vegetables & Rice with Milk, 3 respondents i.e., 30 percent used to Apple, Wheat & Milk In the age group of 16-19 months, 2 respondents i.e., 25 percent used to Mixed fruits & Wheat, Corn & Milk, Wheat & Milk. In the age of below 3 months children, 1 ie. 33.33 per cent used to give Apple, Wheat & Milk, vegetables & Rice with milk, mixed fruits & Wheat. Conclusion Marketing of baby food is a potentially promising area; since the consumers are never hesitate to provide the best quality for their children. The numbers of competitors are very low in the market. The expectations of the parents from the brands of Baby foods used have been found very high, making it tough for the marketers to satisfy the needs perfectly. More research and development efforts might lead to more successful baby foods substitutes. The health and future of the new generation seem to lie in the hands of these manufactures. References 209 Vol .1 No. 2 July - 2013International Journal of Research & Business Innovation (IJRBI) 1. BK. MISHRA, Breast Feeding and Child 4, MEMORIA C.B., and MEMORIS. $ Marketing Development. ‘Management. 2. SURAJAAPLE, M.D., Speaking of Child Care. 5. PHLIP KOTLER, Principle of Marketing, published 3. PHILIP KOTLER Marketing Management Prentice by K.Ghosh prentice hall of India Ltd., New Delhi hall of India Ltd,, Published by K. Ghosh, New publishing year 1999. Delhi, Publishing Year 1999. “Asst. Professors, Department of Commerce, AVS College of Arts & Science, Salem. 210 Vol .1 No. 2 July - 2013