Competitive Analysis of leading players in premium soap industry and its

Consumer Buying Preference

Summer Internship Project Report
Undertaken At
ITC Limited, Jaipur

Submitted to Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement

For the Award of
Post Graduate Diploma in Rural Management
(You have taken admission in Rural Management or Business Management. First
Specify that, and get the things cleared.
Submitted By:
Akansha Tak
PGDBM
RM/JULY/14/27/2996
Faculty Guide:
(Dr.)Prof. Shiv Joshi (not Prof.)
FMS-IRM, Jaipur

Faculty of Management Studies

Institute of Rural Management, Jaipur

Project Title:Competitive Analysis of leading players in Premium Soap Industry and its Consumer
Buying Preference
Organization:-. Imperial Tobacco Company (ITC Ltd.)
Area of Working: - Jaipur, Rajasthan.
Duration of Project: - 45 days (15th May- 30th June 2015)

Objective of the Study:

To analyse the market of premium soap industry.(when you analyse the

market your second objective is already fulfilled) so I dont think that it is
of any use.

To analyse the various competitors in case of premium soap industry. (X)

To find out the factors that influences a consumer to buy a particular

brand of
Premium soap.
To analyse the Marketing strategies followed by Premium Soap Brand.
(Can add this as an objective)

To know the potential growth of premium soap industry in the near future.

Scope of study or utility

Gaining knowledge about the soap industry.

Exchange of facts idea, opinions while interacting.

To analyse situations for the company for the purpose of growth.

To build strategy for the company to analyse its competitors.

To find out the potential area and outlets in the market.

Rationale of conducting this study:

To find out the major players, understand the range, price, scheme, and
margin offered by
the existing players in case of premium soap industry.

Understanding consumer preferences (by questionnaire and observation)

Understanding Terms of trade (with reference to competitors)

Role of visibility and schemes for inducing sales.

Introduction of title
The Soap Industry in India is at the high growth rate and many new entrants are planning
to launch their product in this category. The overall Soap Industry is worth at
60000crores. The Soap market constitutes the premium, the popular and the sub-popular
segments.
The Premium segment constitutes about 20percent of the soaps market and volume
growth will come essentially from popular and sub-popular segments
Due to High penetration of premium soap industry, there is little left for volume growth
in the toilet soaps industry today. Hence FMCG majors are now trying to upgrade
consumers from popular to premium segment through innovative approach.
The Premium Soap segment is steadily growing in India as companies are now paying
attention to three factors:
High Visibility
Packaging
Brand Experience
Going premium in times of a slowdown in a saturated category like soap seems to have
worked for ITC. The company made a relatively late entry into the soaps category in
2008, but it is the premium soaps portfolio which is growing faster than the mass
offerings in its personal care portfolio. However, it has been the best year for Fiama Di
Wills bathing bars. So I will be doing an Industry overview of premium soap, to find out
the major players, understand the range, price, scheme, and margin offered by the existing

players. I will be finding out the best practices that these competitors Dove, Pears, Park
Avenue, Nivea, Fiama Di Wills and Wild Stone adopt in terms of schemes, price and
visibility.
I will also try to find out the buying decision process of consumers in the target market
and to find out the factors that influences a consumer to buy a particular brand of
premium soap.

LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

1. The study is limited to the city of Jaipur
2. Market division is Modern Trade
3. Limited time span of the project (when u know that time span is limited, then why
you have selected this topic? This question will be raised at the time of presentation,
so be aware)
4. Sample of the whole universe was taken for the study (How this can be a limitation? I
didnt get it)

Research Methodology

Research Design: Descriptive Research Design

Sample Design- Random Sampling
Type of Data Collection:
Primary Data: Personal interaction, Observation and Questionnaire
Secondary Data: Past reports, Internet, web site.
Statistical Tool:
Table, graphs & pie-charts are used for analysis of premium soap industry. (Table , graphs
and pie-charts are never considered in Statistical tools. They are just tools to represent figure
and facts.) (Rectify it )

Research Tools: Printed Questionnaire was used as the Research Instrument to collect
desired information. (When you will start your research how it can be WAS) (Atleast you
can check what you are typing or copy pasting)
Research Area: The survey was conducted in the Jaipur.
Universe of the study:
It is the set of objects to be studied. The universe can be finite or infinite. In finite universe
the numbers of items are certain, but in case of infinite universe the numbers of items are
infinite. In our study the universe is the end consumers which is finite i.e. all the residents of
Jaipur. ( I dont need the meaning of Universe, I know this better than you, explain me
that in your research which you are going to do, what would be your universe.)
Sample size:
Sample refers to the number of item to be selected from the universe. In our study the total
sample size is 300 which are taken from end consumers. ( If sample size is 300 then the size
of your universe should be more than 1300, because sample size is at least or minimum 20%
of the universe)

Action Plan:
The Action Plan that I will follow so far is to,( So far means till now and Will follow
means you are going to follow in future. This is contradiction. I didnt understand.)
First Understand Branding, schemes, popular variants, and prices that competitive brands
run by visiting the direct and indirect accounts of ITC and to have a complete Industry
overview of Premium Soap Industry.
(your action plan is limited to the
understanding of Branding, schemes, popular variants, and prices that competitive brands.

After that what? Action Plan means how will you proceed in your research.