Awareness Of Consumer In Food Packaging Regulation-A Study On Kamrup District Of Assam

Awareness Of Consumer In Food Packaging Regulation-A Study On Kamrup District Of Assam

Awareness Of Consumer In Food Packaging Regulation—A Study On Kamrup District Of Assam

Dr. Iva Devi, Assistant Professor,

West Guwahati Commerce College, Guwahati, Maligaon, Assam,

While conducting research work in the field of product packaging, the researcher has come across a few publications related to the subject. Some of those are highlighted as follows: Neelamegham-S, Marketing in India (1994) Manisha Desai states that product as well as its promotion and distribution, depends on packaging which is to be given due importance. They also emphasized that packaging is essential for sales promotion as well as for safe delivery of products. Pillai and Bagawathi, R.S.N, Modern marketing (1978), have discussed that packaging is a significant activity pertaining to the promotion of sales and it also protects the product and make it attractive. They have depicted a picture of identification and convenience of the product. They have also discussed packaging as an activity which is concerned with protection, economy and promotional aspect.Mathura U.C. Advertising Management (2002) has discussed that packaging has a definite role to play in positioning it in the right manner and in the right segment. He has discussed only the Lux soap and its wrapper. Paine Frank (2003), Packaging India, Packaging, the Principal Tool of Marketing the authors states that packaging may be considered as adjust of contract the sale of all goods of whatever nature is governed by the circumstance in which a legally binding promise is made by the seller.

From the forgoing review of literature, it can be understood that though many studies have been conducted on different aspect of packaging in India and even in foreign countries, a study specially for Awareness of Consumer in Food Packaging Regulation is missing in literature. Moreover, till that, no research has been conducted on any aspect of Awareness of Consumer in Food Packaging Regulation. Hence, the study will make an attempt to examine the present scenario of the work by highlighting the existing lacuna and drawback. The Study will make an attempt to address the adequacy of the existing packaging, keeping in view the consumer needs and aspiration by means of some valid and practical remedial measures.

The present research work is based on the following objective:

1. To examine the regulatory frame work governing the packaging of food products.

2. To evaluate the awareness of food packaging regulation in consumer.

The research work is an analytical study on different products that exist in the distribution channel for promoting sale in connection with certain specific food products. The identified products are more or less available both at the National and State level, so the field study is concentrated within Districts of Kamrup District in Assam. Consumer awareness level, demography, general response, regulation, strategic positioning and shelf-life of product are the prime considerations for the purpose of the study. Samples are selected on the basis of proposed respondents – producers, traders and consumers which consist of the retail consumers, wholesale traders and manufacturers. For conducting field study in one specific districts, a sample of 350 numbers of respondents are selected which include manufacturers, traders and consumers. The selection of the sample is based on random sampling only. In the present study, respondents are classified on the basis of cluster analysis and then on some sampling methods, the respondents were selected on the basis of certain demographic factors like age, income, educational qualification, marital status, occupation etc. In order to assess the objectives of the study, both primary and secondary data are used in this research work. Secondary data were collected from various state terminals and manufacturing establishments, newspapers, periodicals, magazines etc. The primary data are collected from individual buyers, traders and manufacturers. Collection of data is made on the basis of interviewing methods with the target respondents. For doing the same, questionnaires comprising both open and close ended questions have been prepared and the same have been circulated among the respondents to collect primary data. The data are analyzed with the help of various statistical tools like tables only. Inferences are drawn and suggestions are made at the appropriate stages in connection with packaging strategies.

Source: Survey conducted by self.

It reveals from the table 1.1 that 20% consumers are both strongly and somewhat agreed that they are well aware about the regulatory aspects, weights and measures, FPO- consumer right etc while 20 % and 10% of them are somewhat and strongly disagreed that they do not aware about the regulatory aspects, weights and measures, and consumer rights etc as they are ignorant about the regulatory rights etc and 30 % of them cannot reply as they do not have any knowledge about the regulatory aspects in the Kamrup district of Assam.

Source: Survey conducted by self.

It is observed from the table 1.2 that 25.14% and 25.17% of the consumers are strongly and somewhat agreed that Interest of Manufactures, Sellers is duly protected by the regulations of the product while 20% and 17.14% of them are strongly and somewhat disagreed that the interest of manufacturers and sellers are duly protected by the regulations of the products as they are fully not aware of such regulation of the particular products and 14.29% of them cannot reply as they are illiterate and do not the packaging regulation etc in the Kamrup district of Assam.

It is observed from the table that 11.42% and 17.14% of respondents have expressed their view that they are strongly and somewhat agreed about the Regulatory intervention in to the marketing fringe growth product of sales while 34.86% and 25.14% of them are disagreed about such regulatory intervention because they are fully ignorant such intervention and 14.29% of the respondents cannot reply in the Kamrup district of Assam.

1. Sl.No	Factors	No of respondents	Percentage
   1	Strongly agree	80	25.14
   2	Somewhat agree	80	25.14
   3	Cannot say	35	10.00
   4	Somewhat disagree	85	24.29
   5	Strongly disagree	70	20.00
   	Total	350	100.00

   It is transparent from the table that 25.14% of the respondents have expressed their view that they are strongly and somewhat agreed about the present regulation relating to packaging is sufficient to cater the need, interest of consumers of consumer products as they literate and well known the present regulation while 24.29% and 20% of them are strongly and somewhat disagreed about such regulation as they do not understand about such product and 10% of them cannot reply as they are fully illiterate and never aware of such regulation in the Kamrup district of Assam.

   Sl.No	Factors	No of respondents	Percentage
   1	Strongly agree	105	30
   2	Somewhat agree	140	40
   3	Cannot say	35	10
   4	Somewhat disagree	35	10
   5	Strongly disagree	35	10
   	Total	350	10.00

   It reveals that 30% and 40% respondents are strongly and somewhat agreed that indigenously available goods are not adhering to the regulatory norms and force of consumer while 10% of them are strongly and somewhat disagreed the same opinion about the regulatory norms and rest 10% cannot say as they are ignorant about the regulatory norms.

   Sl.No.	Kamrup District	No of respondents	Percentage
   1	Strongly agree	175	50
   2	Somewhat agree	105	30
   3	Cannot say	Nil	Nil
   4	Somewhat Disagree	35	10
   5	strongly disagree	35	10
   	Total	350	100.00

   It is observed from the tabular that 50% and 305 of the respondents have expressed that present regulations are not sufficient to regulate the unhealthy way of manufacturing product as they are very aware of the present regulation and the unhealthy way of manufacturing product etc while 10% of them are strongly and somewhat disagreed that the present regulations are not sufficient to regulate them as they are not satisfied about the present regulations which are regulate the unhealthy way of manufacturing products in the Kamrup district of Assam.

   Findings of the Study:

   1. It is observed from the table 1.1 that 20% respondents are both strongly and somewhat agreed and they are well aware about the regulatory aspects, weights and measures, FPO- consumer right etc while 20 % and 10% of them are somewhat and strongly disagreed that they do not aware about the

      regulatory aspects, weights and measures, and consumer rights etc as they are ignorant about the regulatory rights etc and 30 % of them cannot reply as they do not have any knowledge about the regulatory aspects in the Kamrup district of Assam.

   2. It is observed from the table 1.2 that 25.14% and 25.17% of the consumers are strongly and somewhat agreed that Interest of Manufactures, Sellers is duly protected by the regulations of the product while 20% and 17.14% of them are strongly and somewhat disagreed that the interest of manufacturers and sellers are duly protected by the regulations of the products as they are fully not aware of such regulation of the particular products and 14.29% of them cannot reply as they are illiterate and do not the packaging regulation etc in the Kamrup district of Assam.

   3. It is observed from the table 1.3 that 11.42% and 17.14% of respondents have expressed their view that they are strongly and somewhat agreed about the Regulatory intervention in to the marketing fringe growth product of sales while 34.86% and 25.14% of them are disagreed about such regulatory intervention because they are fully ignorant such intervention and 14.29% of the respondents cannot reply in the Kamrup district of Assam.

   4. It is transparent from the table 1.4 that 25.14% of the respondents have expressed their view that they are strongly and somewhat agreed about the present regulation relating to packaging is sufficient to cater the need, interest of consumers of consumer products as they literate and well known the present regulation while 24.29% and 20% of them are strongly and somewhat disagreed about such regulation as they do not understand about such product and 10% of them cannot reply as they are fully illiterate and never aware of such regulation in the Kamrup district of Assam.

   5. It reveals from the table 1.5 that 30% and 40% respondents are strongly and somewhat agreed that indigenously available goods are not adhering to the regulatory norms and force of consumer while 10% of them are strongly and somewhat disagreed the same opinion about the regulatory norms and rest 10% cannot say as they are ignorant about the regulatory norms.

   6. It is observed from the table 1.6 that 50% and 305 of the respondents have expressed that present regulations are not sufficient to regulate the unhealthy way of manufacturing product as they are very aware of the present regulation and the unhealthy way of manufacturing product etc while 10% of them are strongly and somewhat disagreed that the present regulations are not sufficient to regulate them as they are not satisfied about the present regulations which are regulate the unhealthy way of manufacturing products in the Kamrup district of Assam.

• The packaging of food products play an important role and also are an integral part of sales promotion, so certain Law and Regulations have been passed to make packaging more systematic and scientific. The very object of packaging is to bring the manufactured food from the work of end-users hand maintaining in self-life, weight, flavor intact, keeping in mind, the gravity, its importance and also its significance. Besides, awareness programmers were undertaken to improve the consumers awareness. So, various rules and laws related to packaging were passed in which the importance of packaging was realised and the possible development of a mechanism to monitor its provision was also mentioned. Some standard norms with regulatory support were developed to comba with the present day requirements. These norms were also developed by realising the importance of packaging of food products and the possible development of a mechanism to monitor its provisions. Thus, these norms play a significant role in the regulation of the trade rules and enhance sales promotion.

• The power for implementation of the order is basically delegated to the state Governments. The central Government is aware that the production of edible oils is a highly de-centralized industry. A substantial quality of oil production is in the small scale sector, and also majority of the population is living below the poverty line. So, the additional cost of packaged oils cannot be afforded by them. Hence, in view situation, the state Governments has been empowered to exempt any edible oil from the provisions of this order in specific circumstances.

• The nutritional value, shelf-life of the products, and the demerits of unhygienic packaging\will be made known to the people, only when they have the idea or sense of awareness about packaging, it merits and demerits. Though regulatory measures are very much in prevalent, and those have been introduced by the government on different aspects like food packaging, preservation and shelf life of the food products, but still the awareness of the consumers are not up to the marks. So, to ensure hygienic consumption the consumer should be aware about the product, its packaging, its shelf life, nutritional value and then only it would be able to purchase the appropriate product otherwise not for that, the consumer must be fully aware about consumption as well as about the preservation and packaging of the product that he is consuming. Thus the consumer interest on various edible products can be protected, only when consumers are fully aware of it, as it is awareness which would help to protect the consumers interest on various products. The Government should take appropriate steps to create awareness anomy consumers about the different products like dairy products, the Bakeries and Confectionaries, the food products, the fruit and the meat products, coffee, cocoa and other liquids like Rasna are to be selected by the government. Also these are mostly domestic eatable and drinkable products and they are to be selected by the consumers. Thus, for that again, the consumers must have knowledge about the products their self life, their nutritional value, their appropriate packaging, so that based on which the consumers can select which products are eatable and which are not, similarly which products are at a higher price than its worth, all are required to be within the knowledge of a consumer only when he/she will have full idea about food packaging, its merits and demerits. Selection of food products has significance of its own and henceforth it has to give due importance as proper selection is responsible for the proper regulation and distribution of the products, which would enhance sales promotion, which would in turn, boost-up the nations economy.

• Fruits, vegetables and their products are packed to create awareness among the buyers. So, it has been done so intelligently that it would be and so that the consumer prefers the products in the competitive market and purchases them. In earlier days, the products were packet not in unhygienic was an unattractive manner, die to which the fruit products had to remain idle and ultimately left out for non- consumption by human being. Regarding vegetables also, it has been the same in Assam, as the packaging was unhygienic, unattractive, as well as unsystematic.

• A good quality of Rice, fruits, and vegetables are produced in Assam but owing to non-availability of appropriate packaging of their consumer non-durables, contest demand of these items in the market are not fulfilled and as such the shortfall of demand fulfillment are not in way of importing the same from other states. Hence, the existence of constant need of scientific way of packaging, at this scenario cannot be ruled out. Hence, there are existence of improve scientific method of product packaging; good amount of shortfall of supply could have been cauterised. So, food product packaging is an urgent need for social-economic developed of Assam as a whole.

Reference:

1. Neelamegham S (1994) Marketing in India (Cases & Readings) New Product Strategy: Vikas Publishing House Pvt. Ltd. PP. 506-510.

2. Pillai R.S.N. Bagawathi, (1987) Modern Marketing, Principles and Practices, Packaging S. Chand & Company Ltd., New Delhi, PP. 161-163

3. Mathura U.C.(2002), Advertising Management, Packaging New Age International Publishers, P.21.

4. Field Study