TABLE OF CONTENTS:

SR.NO.

CONTENTS

1.

OVERVIEW OF FMCG SECTOR

2.

HISTORY OF SOAPS

3.

BRIEF INTRODUCTION

4.

SIZE OF INDUSTRY

5.

CONSUMER USE TODAY &

PREFERENCES

6.

MARKETING OF SOAPS

7.

OBJECTIVE & SCOPE OF

PROJECT

8.

LITERATURE REVIEW

9.

MAJOR ANTISEPTIC PLAYERS IN

INDIA

Page 1

PAGE
No.
3

7
9

10

11

12

14

10.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

11.

ANALYSIS OF SURVEY

12.

FINDING & RECOMMENDATIONS

38

13.

CONCLUSION

41

14.

BIBLIOGARPHY

42

15.

ANNEXURES

43

Page 2

18
21

Page 3

OVERVIEW OF FAST MOVING CONSUMER GOODS

(FMCG)
Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) goods are popularly named as consumer
packaged goods. Items in this category include all consumables (other than groceries/pulses)
people buy at regular intervals. The most common in the list are toilet soaps, detergents,
shampoos, toothpaste, shaving products, shoe polish, packaged foodstuff, and household
accessories and extends to certain electronic goods. These items are meant for daily of
frequent consumption and have a high return.
A major portion of the monthly budget of each household is reserved for FMCG products.
The volume of money circulated in the economy against FMCG products is very high, as the
number of products the consumer use is very high. Competition in the FMCG sector is very
high resulting in high pressure on margins.
FMCG companies maintain intense distribution network. Companies spend a large portion of
their budget on maintaining distribution networks. New entrants who wish to bring their
products in the national level need to invest huge sums of money on promoting brands.
Manufacturing can be outsourced. A recent phenomenon in the sector was entry of
multinationals and cheaper imports. Also the market is more pressurized with presence of
local players in rural areas and state brands.
The beginning of the 21st century was not very encouraging for the Indian FMCG sector.
Even the big players like HUL and Procter and Gamble found it difficult to retain their status
as market leaders. Things took a turn for the better from 2004 onwards with the when sales in
the retail outlets picked up speed.

FMCGS SEGMENT
FMCG products are segmented below:
Personal Care, Oral Care, Hair Care, Skin Care, Personal Wash (soaps); Cosmetics and
toiletries, deodorants, perfumes, feminine hygiene, paper products; Household care fabric
wash including laundry soaps and synthetic detergents; household cleaners, such as

Page 4

dish/utensil cleaners, floor cleaners, toilet cleaners, air fresheners, insecticides and mosquito
repellents, metal polish and furniture polish.

MAJOR PLAYERS IN SECTOR

TOP TEN PLAYERS IN FMCG SECTOR

Hindustan Unilever Ltd (HUL)

Indian Tobacco Company (ITC)
Nestl India
Dabur India
GCMMF (AMUL)
Asian Paints (India)
Cadbury India
Britannia Industries
Procter & Gamble Hygiene and Health Care
Marico Industries

SECONDARY PLAYERS

Colgate-Palmolive (India) Ltd.

Godrej Consumers Product Ltd.
Nirma Ltd.
Tata Tea Ltd.
Parle Agro

Page 5

HISTORY OF SOAPS
During the British rule the Lever Brothers,
England introduced modern soaps by
importing and marketing them in the
country. The first company created was
North West Soap Company, the soap
manufacturing plant in India situated in the
city of Meerut, in the state of Uttar Pradesh. In 1897, they started marketing cold process

Page 6

soaps. In 1918, Mr. Jamshedji Tata set up India's first indigenous soap manufacturing unit
when he purchased the Coconut Oil Mills at Cochin Kerala. OK Mills crushed and marketed
coconut oil for cooking and manufactured crude cold process laundry soaps that were sold
locally and It was renamed The Tata Oil Mills Company and its first branded soaps appeared
on the market in the early 1930's.
Soap became a necessity for the moneyed class by around 1937. Today with increase in
disposable incomes all around the world along with India, growth in rural demand is expected
to increase because consumers are moving up towards premium products. However, in the
recent past there has not been much change in the volume of premium soaps in proportion to
economy soaps, this was due to the increase in prices which has led some consumers to look
for cheaper substitutes. The major players in the market for the personal wash (Soap) market
are HLL, Norma and P&G.
The toilet soaps market is estimated at 530,000 TPA including small imports where the
Hindustan Lever is the market leader. The market has several, leading national and global
brands and a large number of small brands. The popular brands include Lifebuoy, Lux,
Cinthol, Liril, Rexona, and Nirma. Premium soaps are estimated to have a market volume of
about 80,000 tonnes. This translates into a share of about 14 to 15%. However, by value it is
as much as 30%.

Page 7

BRIEF INTRODUCTION
Soaps are categorized into men's soaps, ladies' soaps and common soaps. There are
few specialty soaps like the Glycerine soaps, sandal soaps, specially flavored soaps,
medicated soaps and baby soaps. Specialty soaps are high valued which enjoy only a small
share of the market in value terms. The market is growing at 7% a year. This means that the
incremental demand generation is 5% over and above the population growth. With increasing
awareness of hygienic standards, the market for the Soaps could grow at a rate higher than
8% annually. Interestingly, 60% of the market is now sourced from the rural sector. This

Page 8

means that the variance between the two segments is not very large. Since upper-end market
focus is the urban areas, margins come from the urban sector.
Soap is a product for many people and the lathering up can be a treasured part of a morning
or nightly routine. Whether it might be scented or unscented, in bars, gels, and liquids, soap is
a part of our daily lives. In the United States, soap is a $1.390 million (US$) industry with
over 50 mass market brands. But in Indian markets the sales potential for soap is only
beginning to be realized. At the end of the year 2000, soap was a $1.032 million (US$)
business in India.
India is a country with a population of 1,030 million people. With the household penetration
of soaps is 98%. People belonging to different income levels use different brands, which fall
under different segments, but all income levels use soaps, making it the second largest
category in India. Rural consumers in India constitute 70% of the population. Rural demand
is growing, with more and more soap brands being launched in the discount segment
targeting the lower socio-economic strata of consumers. Soap manufacturers originally
targeted their products to the lowest income strata in urban as well as rural areas, positioning
their brands as a way to remove dirt and clean the body. For some brands, that positioning
persists even today with a focus on removal of body odor and keeping the user healthy.
However, soap positionings are moving towards skin care as a value-added benefit.
Soap is primarily targeted towards women, as they are the chief decision-makers in terms of
soap purchase and for Medicated positionings like germ killing and anti-bacterial are
marketed to families. About 75% of soap can be bought through the different types of
outlets.This is the most common source for buying soap, which usually forms a part of the
months grocery list. Pan-Beedi Shops: These are really small shops, almost like handcarts,
and they are primarily set up to dispense cigarettes and chewing tobacco.
Total annual soap sales by companies marketing their brands at national or state levels is
estimated at 14,000 tonnes of a total soap market considered to be about 126,000 tonnes.

Page 9

Page 10

SIZE OF THE INDUSTRY

The Indian Soap Industry includes about 700 companies with combined annual
revenue of about $17 billion. Major companies in this industry include divisions of P&G,
Unilever, and Dial. The Indian Soap Industry is highly concentrated with the top 50
companies holding almost 90% of the market. The market size of global soap and detergent
market size was estimated to be around 31M tonne in 2004, which is estimated to grow to
33M tonne in the coming years. Toilet soaps account for more than 10% of the total market of
soap and detergents. In Asia, the countries like China and India are showing rapid growth in
the toilet soap section. Market share of body wash was estimated to be around 2% in 2004

Page 11

and is showing signs of healthy growth in these markets. Indias soap market is Rs 41.75
billion.
Indian Soap Industry volume is Rs 4,800-crore. For the purpose of gaining a competitive
edge, Indian companies are now relaunching their brands with value-additions to woo
consumers across India. For instance, Hindustan Lever Ltd (HLL) has recently launched a
host of toilet soap brands which include Lifebuoy, Lux, Breeze and Lirilwith value
additions. Also is in the process of rolling out Ayush ayurvedic soap. The aim is to meet the
evolving needs of customers.
One of the factors which affect the demand of soaps is the penetration, which the products
have in market. In case of soaps this has not been a major issue as the penetration in the rural
area is as high as 97% and that for urban area is around 99%. Thus approximately the
penetration is around 99% for overall India

Page 12

TOP LEADING COMPANIES

In the Rs 4,800-crore Indian toilet soaps market, the lead players include:

HLL

Godrej Consumer Products Ltd

Colgate Palmolive Ltd and

Wipro Consumer Care

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS

In Indian Soap Industry the entry of new players in the 6,500-crore toilet soaps

industry is expected to bring about a new twist in the "Indian soap opera".
ITC Ltd has started investing in aggressive brand-building and product development

projects to promote its brands, Fiama De Wills, Vivel and Superia.

Godrej Consumer Products Ltd and Wipro Consumer Care Lighting are established
players in the Industry which are beefing up their research projects and advertising

plans to take on new rivals.

With increasing competition, the Indian Soap Industry is expected to register a healthy

growth this fisca. The sector registered a 15% value growth.

GCPL is hiking its advertising budget by 20% to gain high visibility for its brands.

BRAND POSITIONING THEN AND NOW

Soap manufacturers originally targeted their products to the lowest income strata in
urban as well as rural areas, positioning their brands as a way to remove dirt and clean the
body. For some brands, that positioning persists even today with a focus on removal of body
odour and keeping the user healthy. However, soap positioning are moving towards skin care
as a value-added benefit.

Page 13

Page 14

CONSUMER USE TODAY

Toilet soaps are always used in the bar formthere is no other form in the Indian
marketand they are used in the bath. Showers are a distant dream for 70% of Indias
population, who live in the villages where there is not even a regular supply of drinking
water. In the urban areas, people bathe by using a bucket of water, mug, and a bar of soap. In
villages, they usually bathe by the river bank or village ponds. Although most of the urban
houses have a shower facility, showers are seldom used because of the scarcity of water.
With increase in disposable incomes, growth in rural demand is increasing because
consumers are moving up towards premium products. However, in the recent past there has
not been much change in the volume of premium soaps in proportion to economy soaps,
because increase in prices has led some consumers to look for cheaper substitutes.

Page 15

CONSUMER PREFERENCES
Consumer preferences are varied and are more regionally specific. India is divided into
four regions: North, East, West, and South.
Consumers in the North prefer pink colored soaps, which have floral profiles. Here
the fragrance preference is for more sophisticated profiles reflecting their lifestyles.
Freshness soaps with lime and citrus notes are also popular preferences as the climate
in the North is very hot and citrus/lime scented soaps are seen to be refreshing.
The East is not a big soap market; hence no particular preference skews.
Consumers in the West exhibit preferences for strong, impactful fragrances and
somewhat harsher profiles compared to the North. Preferences are more for the pink
soaps with floral fragrances, primarily rose, which are positioned on the beauty
platform.
In the South, the skew is towards specific soap segments like the Herbal/Ayurvedic
profiles and also the Sandal profiles. Consumers here do not exhibit high brand
loyalty and are ready to experiment and try out new brands. Hence, most fast moving
consumer goods companies tend to launch their new brands in these markets, which
they call test launch markets.

Page 16

MARKETING OF SOAP

Page 17

Soap is primarily targeted towards women, as they are the chief decision-makers in
terms of soap purchase. Medicated positionings like germ killing and anti-bacterial are
marketed to families. About 75% of soap can be bought through these different types of
outlets:

Kirana Store
This is the most common source for buying soap, which usually forms a part of the months
grocery list (which is purchased from these Kirana Stores). Consumers exhibit loyalty to
these stores, which is largely dependent on proximity to consumers homes. Here consumers
buy across the counter and do not have an option of browsing through display shelves.

Pan-Beedi Shops
These are really small shops, almost like handcarts, and they are primarily set up to dispense
cigarettes and chewing tobacco. However, one would find such a shop at every corner and
they are the main sources of soap purchase for the lower socio-economic classes. These kinds
of shops exist by the dozen in rural areas.

Department Store
In India, there are very few department stores and the Indianised version of department
stores are called Sahakari Bhandars. It is still a fairly new concept. However, department
stores have good display counters and this is the only place where consumers get a first hand
experience of shopping and choosing from available options. Here soap prices are also
discounted below the retail prices.

OBJECTIVE AND SCOPE OF PROJECT

Page 18

Page 19

OBJECTIVES
To determine the awareness level of savlon soap with respect to dettol and lifebuoy in
the Mumbai market.
To identify the perception of consumers towards SAVLON soap with respect to dettol
and lifebuoy in the Mumbai market.
To determine the effect of product promotions including advertising, sales
promotions, and public relations on the buying behaviour of consumers for soaps.
To determine the importance of attributes (the driving factors) for the consumers
while purchasing the soap.

SCOPE
Project was specifically carried out in Mumbai region-(City).
Sample size selected was of 50 respondents.
Only antiseptic category of soap was selected for the project.
Questionnaire was used for primary data collection

Page 20

Page 21

LITERATURE REVIEW

Savlon

Heals

Without

Hurting

6th Jan
HARISH B
Savlon was a brand owned by a pharmaceutical MNC ICI ltd. Later ICI's OTC brands was
acquired by Johnson & Johnson. Savlon was relaunched in Indian market in 1993. The brand
was expected to give the market leader Dettol, a run for its money. But even after millions of
rupees spent, Dettol still rules the antiseptic lotion market.
This article shows as to why Savlon was a better antiseptic than Dettol, and then too why
Savlon was not able to hold itself in the market.
It also shows the strategy adopted by Dettol which was not expected by J&J to fight the
upcoming antiseptic brand, the decisions took by J&J and its effect on the brand SAVLON.
It also includes launch of Savlons soap, strategies adopted by HUL to compete Dettol soap,
and finally the drop of savlon soap by HUL.

Page 22

The

power

of

contrast

22nd Aug

S. Ramesh Kumar and B. Shekar

This article says that marketers must use the aspect of contrast creatively so as to lure the
consumers.
It also shows that the product attributes of a leader (Dettol) create a perception that highlights
the contrast when there is a follower brand (Savlon). This approach is extremely useful to fast
moving consumer goods where differentiation is difficult to sustain in the long run.
Marketers through advertisements, alongwith conveying the positioning of the brand, should
create a contrast that consumers will be able to accept and incorporate over a period of time.
The contrast would have to be relevant to the positioning of the brand.

Page 23

Page 24

MAJOR ANTISEPTIC SOAPS PLAYERS IN INDIA

LIFEBUOY
DETTOL
SAVLON

1)

LIFEBUOY
Some Facts: Today Lifebuoy is mainly sold in Asia and parts
of Africa. It is market leader in every Asian
market where it is sold.
Lifebuoy soap has been proven in laboratories
to provide 100% more effective germ protection than ordinary soaps.
To date, 70 million people in rural India along have experienced the pioneering,
Lifebuoy sponsored Health Education programme the single largest private hygiene
education programme in the world.
In 2005, Lifebuoy was awarded a 'Citizen Brand' accolade in Indonesia in recognition
of the work the brand has undertaken in hand wash education.
Nearly half of the Lifebuoy brand's consumption is in rural Asia, where most of the
population live on less than US$1 per day .

Page 25

INNOVATION
Since 2000, major changes have been made to the classic Lifebuoy soap bar to ensure
that it provides improved hygiene protection and a more enjoyable healthy washing
experience for its billions of consumers.
Lifebuoy soap's classic hard red brick shape has been replaced with a new signature
Lifebuoy shape. The new shape makes the bar easier to grip and use
The Lifebuoy Brand team have developed a new formulation providing even better
germ protection which creates a rich lather on the skin
Lifebuoy soap's characteristic medicated, carbolic smell has been replaced with a
more enjoyable and contemporary 'health' fragrance
Lifebuoy has become more than just a red bar of soap today the brand provides
hygiene and health solutions for families, including a range of bar soaps, hand wash
liquids and liquid shower gels. One of the most recent Lifebuoy innovation addresses
the number one skin hygiene and health concern for teens and tweens: oily and acne
prone skin. Lifebuoy Clear Skin is a bar soap formulated using radical new
technology that is clinically proven to reduce even severe acne, by 70% in 6 weeks.
Regular use, twice a day is proven to prevent and reduce the recurrence of acne

RECKITT AND BENCKISER

Reckitt and benckiser india limited (rbil) is fully owned of Reckitt and benckiser
plc ..worlds number one company in household cleaning
Reckitt and benckiser india limited (rbil) manufactures and market wide range of

1)
2)
3)
4)

product in personal care ,pest control ,shoe care ,fabric care and other categories
The well known brand of Reckitt and benckiser india limited (rbil) are as follows
Dettol
Mortien
Disprin
Lizol

Most of these brands are either number two or one in their respective categories in India.

Page 26

2)

DETTOL

TARGET MARKET The target market for Dettol soap is all households (primarily mothers)
who can afford buying soap and who want to fulfil an everyday need (primarily bathing) that
provides them and their family with a 100% anti- bacterial solution complete protection
from all germs/ bacteria and cleanliness from dirt /grime.

Product Offered
Dettol soap has four variants in the market available nationally - Dettol Original, Dettol
Skincare, and newly launched Dettol Fresh. The new improved soap range continues to bear
recommendation from IMA - India Medical Association.

Dettol Original Soap

New and Improved Dettol Original Soap is specially formulated for everyday
use. Dettol Original Soap is 10 times better at fighting germs*. So give Dettol's
trusted protection to the entire family. Available in three sizes - 120g, 70g and
35g.

Dettol Skincare Soap

Dettol Skincare Soap offers the perfect balance between your beauty and
protection needs. Dettol Skincare Soap is formulated with moisturisers to help
nourish your soft skin. Available in three sizes - 120g, 70g and 35g.

Dettol Cool Soap

Page 27

Dettol Cool Soap combines Dettol's trusted protection with the coolness of menthol. A
bath with Dettol Cool Soap will not only refresh and re-energize you, but also
give you protection from germs. Available in three sizes - 120g, 70g and 35g.

Dettol Fresh Soap

Dettol Fresh Soap combines Dettol's trusted protection with a pleasant fresh
fragrance You not only stay protected from germs but also keep fresh for
long. Available in two sizes - 120g and 70g.

3)

SAVLON
Owned by pharmaceutical MNC ICI ltd later acquired by Johnson and Johnson
Relaunched in 1993 as an antiseptic soap
Approved by Indian medical association
Positioned as the Gentle Anti Bacteria soap Savlon soap was relaunched in 2007. The

gentle equity of Savlon was derived from mother brand Savlon antiseptic liquid while soft
on skin gives the brand space to meaningfully differentiate it from other anti bacteria soaps.
The brand plays in the premium soap category and was extended to the aloe Vera variant in
the year 2008. The product is currently available in 75 gm and 125 gm in 2 lead variants
namely Glycerin & Aloe Vera

Page 28

Page 29

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Page 30

Research Design:
The purpose of this study is to gain consumer insights about SAVLON bath soap and
comparing it with DETTOL and LIFEBUOY which are the two main soap brands in
Health category in the context of Mumbai Region.

Research Approach:
The respondents will be the consumers and users of bath soap (bar shape) who are
interested to cooperate. To collect the data the in-depth interview method with help of
questionnaire is used.

Sampling Method:
The in-depth interview for this study was limited to Mumbai region only due to
certain limitations. Also, it has been mentioned earlier that, the interview was only on
the consumers and users of bath soap. They were interviewed for minimum of 10
minutes. The sample size was 50 for this study. Random Sampling method was used
for selecting samples.

Research Instrument:
Contacting the RESPONDENTS THROUGH GOOGLE DOC and studying the
response from the questionnaire filled.

Data Analysis Method:

Page 31

The data analysis of this research was represented on qualitative as well as

quantitative manner. Application packages like Office XP (Microsoft Word, Microsoft
Excel)

DATA COLLECTION:
Primary Data;
Questionnaires for in-depth discussions with various respondents to be interviewed
during primary survey were designed during this phase. List of contacts were also prepared
during this phase.

Secondary Data:
Taken data from various magazines, Newspaper and other prominent source of
information collected from different websites and search engines.

Page 32

OVERVIEW

Research Type:

Objective

Data collection:

Primary source of data

(questionnaire), Secondary
Data (internet, books, newspaper and
various journals)
Research approach:

Survey method

Research instrument: Questionnaire

Research:

Semi-Structured

Size:

50

Research Sampling:

Convenient sampling

Tools of data analysis: Microsoft ExceL

Page 33

Page 34

ANALYSIS OF THE SURVEY

RESPONDENTS

38%

MALE

62%

FEMALE

Q1) Currently which variety of soap do you use?

VARIETY

BEAUTY CARE

33%

40%

AYURVEDIC
SKIN CARE

20%

7%

Page 35

ANTISEPTIC

From the above diagram we can see that majority of the respondent are using beauty
care and antiseptic soaps that is 33% and 40% respectively. Now a day due to lots of dust and
pollution in the environment many people are using antiseptic soap to get rid of germs. And
ayurvedic and skin care is 7% and 20% respectively.

Q2) To what extent is each of the following features an

important consideration to you in selecting your soap?

A) PRICE

PRICE

RT
A
N
T
P
IM
W
E
M
SO

EX
TR
EM

EL
Y

H
AT

IM

RT
A
N
T

30
25
20
15
10
5
0

Price of the soap is considered as extremely important feature by most of the

respondents that is more than 50% of respondents. Only 5 people consider it as not at all
important.

Page 36

B) BRAND NAME

BRAND NAME

R
AT
N
T
IM
H
AT
W
E
M

SO

EX
TR
EM
EL
Y

IM

RT
A
N
T

30
25
20
15
10
5
0

More than 30 respondents feel that brand name is very important for them while
purchasing soap. More the goodwill of the brand more will be there awareness among the
respondents .its one of the most important feature that is why none of the respondent have
chosen the option not at all important.

Page 37

C) FRAGRANCE

FRAGRANCE
25
20
15
10

O
IM
P
H
AT
W
M
E
O
S

EX

TR
EM
EL
Y

IM
P

RT
A
N
T

RT
A
N
T

5
0

Fragrance if we can see from the above bars somewhat important that is more than 20
respondent have said that and 14 say that it is important so we can say that fragrance also
play a vital role in selecting a soap by the respondent but as compared to other features it is
less important.

Page 38

D) HYGIENE

HYGIENE

EX

M
E

TR
EM
LY

H
AT

IM
P

IM
P

RT
A
N
T

RT
A
N
T

25
20
15
10
5
0

Hygiene is also considered as important factor as more than 50% of the respondent
says that it is important.
E) LATHER

LATHER

O
H
AT
W
M
E
O
S

EX

TR
EM
LY

IM
P

IM
P

RT
A
N
T

RT
A
N
T

25
20
15
10
5
0

As typical Indian consumers which prefer more lather as they think more lather means
more cleanliness. So more than 50% of the respondent thinks that it is very important and

Page 39

10people think that it is extremely important. Lather is a very important characteristic of soap
in our country.
F) AVAILABILITY

AVAILABILTY

RT
A
N
T
O
IM
P
H
AT
W
M
E
O
S

EX

TR
EM
EL
Y

IM
P

RT
A
N
T

35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0

The most important factor of all is availability more than 30 respondents think that it is
extremely important factor to be considered. Availability of the product to the near stores is
very important .if the availability of the soap is not there then the brand may lose their
customers.

Page 40

Q3) As you hear about the following brand what comes to your mind

38%

40%
LIFEBOUY
SAVLON
DETTOL

22%

From the above graph we can say that lifebuoy which is backed up by strong
organization Hindustan Unilever follows good marketing strategies and positioning of their
brand is very strong. Same is followed by the Dettol as a brand is well established in India
since long. Savlon clear seems to be lacking as only 22 people said about Savlon as comes
first to their mind.

Page 41

Q4) Please rate for the similarity between two brands. (Savlon and D
A) PRICE

PRICE

A
R
IM
IL

IM
IL

S
LI

A
LL
N
O

AT

TT
LE

B
IT

IM
IL

A
R

A
R

40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0

B) FRAGRANCE

FRAGRANCE

IL
A
R
A
LL

SI
M

IL
A
R
AT
T
N
O

LI
TT

LE

B
IT

SI
M

SI
M

IL
A
R

30
25
20
15
10
5
0

Page 42

Around more than 30 respondents think that fragrance of Dettol and Savlon is similar
and only 3 people think that they are not similar
C) FRESHNESS

FRESHNESS

IL
A
R
SI
M

A
LL
N
O

LI
TT

AT

LE

B
IT

SI
M

SI
M

IL
A
R

IL
A
R

30
25
20
15
10
5
0

Again most of the respondent think that the freshness which that they get from
applying these some is 30 respondent think its similar .it means both the soap fight against
germs properly and give the respondent fresh feeling .
D) SIZE

SIZE

IL
A
R

AT
T
N
O

LI
TT

LE

B
IT

A
LL

SI
M

IL
A
R
SI
M

SI
M
IL
A
R

30
25
20
15
10
5
0

Page 43

More than 30 respondents think that the size which they come is mostly similar and the
structure of the soap is also similar.

Q5) Please rate for the similarity between two brands. (Savlon and L
A) PRICE

PRICE

IL
A
R
A
LL

SI
M

IL
A
R
SI
M
AT
T
N
O

LI
TT

LE

B
IT

SI
M

IL
A
R

25
20
15
10
5
0

B) FRAGRANCE

Page 44

FRAGRANCE

IL
A
R

IL
A
R

A
LL

SI
M

SI
M
N
O

LI
TT

AT

LE

B
IT

SI
M

IL
A
R

30
25
20
15
10
5
0

More than 30 respondents think that lifebuoy has a very much different kind of
fragrance then Savlon only 12 respondents think that they are a bit similar .
C) FRESHNESS

FRESHNESS

IL
A
R
A
LL

SI
M

IL
A
R
AT
T
N
O

LI
TT

LE

B
IT

SI
M

SI
M

IL
A
R

30
25
20
15
10
5
0

Page 45

More than 50% of the respondent think that lifebuoy provides little bit of same freshness
as Savlon do.

D) SIZE

SIZE

IL
A
R

IL
A
R

SI
M
A
LL
AT
T
N
O

LI
TT

LE

B
IT

SI
M

SI
M

IL
A
R

25
20
15
10
5
0

Q6) Please rate the following brands In Lather ?

DETTOL

Page 46

 SAVLON

LIFEBUOY

Lather is one of the most important part of an soap while its consideration to be
purchased .as Indian consumers are of an perception that more the lather more the
cleanliness. As we have seen above that more than 50% of the respondent consider it
to be an important feature.
If we consider the above three bar of Dettol ,Savlon, lifebuoy for lather in these soaps
lifebuoy is at the top of the table as more than 20 respondent have given them 5 in
rating for lather followed by Dettol with 11 respondent have given 5 rating.
Our here if we can see Savlon no respondent have given them 5 rating highest 7
respondent have given them 4 rating for lather.
Overall lifebuoy brand is highest in lather factor .

Page 47

Page 48

Q7) How do you get information about the following brands.

DETTOL

25
20
15
10
5

TH
ER
S
O

R
ES
TO
S

/F
A
M
IL
Y
FR
IE
N
D
S

A
D

ER
TI
S

IN
G

SAVLON

25
20
15
10
5

Page 49

TH
ER
S
O

R
ES
TO
S

/F
A
M
IL
Y
FR
IE
N
D
S

A
D

ER
TI
S

IN
G

 LIFEBUOY

30
25
20
15
10
5

TH
ER
S
O

R
ES
TO
S

/F
A
M
IL
Y
FR
IE
N
D
S

A
D

ER
TI
S

IN
G

As from the above three bar we can see that lifebuoy that is HUL product, has paid
lots of its attention on advertising and TV promotion. As we all know its famous tag line
lifebuoy hai jaha tandrusti hai waha lifebouyyyyy. Lifebuoy as a brand always keep it
advertisements and add on television. If you concentrate on Dettol then it is more an family
brand every person knows about it and is aware about it there is no need of promotion as such
more through television the word of mouth communication is the best way organisation is
getting

benefited from the goodwill of the brand. There famous tag lines every day

protection have made the brand part of every bodys house.

Savlon which is also considered very close brand to Dettol and lifebuoy in case of its usage
lacks in its advertisements .we can see that there clear lack of awareness about the brand in
customers mind .the only way consumers are getting connected to brand is saw in store (the
counter promotion done by Savlon ).

Page 50

Q8) Which soap would you prefer? Rank them .

savlon

lifebouy

dettol

If we take a look at the above diagram bar we will find out that lifebuoy and Dettol
are fighting neck to neck for top position for consumer preference. Dettol is preferred by 22
people as their first preference. Followed by lifebuoy and Savlon 19 and 9 respectively .If we
see here also Savlon lies at the third position. It is the consumers third preferences as
majority i.e 30 respondents prefer Savlon.

Page 51

Q9) Compared to Dettol and Lifebouy that are available

in the market, would you say that Savlon is ....?

25
20
15
10
5
R
SE
H
M
U
C

SO

O
W
H
AT

TH
E
U
T

R
SE

E
SA
M

ER
B
ET
T
A
B
O

SO

EW

M
U
C

H
AT

B
ET
T

ER

From the above question we can find out that Savlon is also considered an equally
good brand as Dettol and Lifebuoy is as more than 50% of the respondent have given the
option about the same and only 10 to 15 respondent have given negative responses.
So by following new marketing strategies and creating more awareness among the users will
benefit them and capture much more market share then Dettol and lifebuoy.

Page 52

FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Page 53

FINDINGS
1. As per the survey conducted consumers majorly preferred antiseptic and beauty care
soaps. Their purchase decision was based on brand name alongwith the above
mentioned factors.
2. 22 of the respondents in the survey preferred Dettol, 19 of them preferred lifebuoy and
only 9 of them preferred Savlon in health and hygiene category.
3. Almost half of the total respondents stated that freshness and hygiene are the most
important deciding factors followed by price, fragrance and brand name while
purchasing soap
4. Basically people are using soap primarily for cleaning purpose then for germ protection
and beauty care. That is why; under antiseptic soap Dettol soaps has noticeable demand
in the market and it is widely consumed by the loyal consumers of antiseptic soaps.
5. Savlon follows Dettol in terms of hygiene while lifebuoy was cited as an average soap
in hygiene.
6. Savlon was the most expensive soap as compared to Dettol and lifebuoy. According to
the survey lifebuoy was mainly preferred by price conscious respondents.
7. Many respondents said that the fragrance of soap and is usage (duration of using)
should be increased.
8. Lifebuoy was also receptive because of its durability whereas dettol was least durable
among the three health soaps.
9. Many respondents said that the price of the soap should be reduced.
10. Majority of the consumers purchased soaps from their local kirana stores as they trusted
them more.
11. On comparison almost everybody said that Dettol is much better than Savlon and
lifebuoy is somewhat better than Savlon.
12. More than 50% got information about Savlon through counter promotion and also tried
Savlon soap, around 25% saw this soap in advertisement but only half of them tried this
soap and out of the remaining who heard of Savlon soap from friends and family only
tried it.

Page 54

13. The major difference cited by most of the respondents was that they trusted Dettol for
their family.
14. Some of the respondents said that Dettol has more number of variants as compared to
Savlon and lifebuoy.

Page 55

RECOMMENDATIONS
1. Even though Savlon has better healing capacity than Dettol the company failed in its
positioning. Savlon was positioned as first aid solution. To compete with a major
brand, the company should position it firmly and Savlon could have been positioned
as the germ fighter with no pain or burns.
2. Promotion campaign of Savlon was also not competitive enough, although it
generated lots of interest in the minds of consumer which made them try this product
but the absence of burning sensation miserably harmed the success of the product.
3. The failure of Savlon antiseptic did not let the Savlon soap brand to come up and it
hardly changed the perception of consumers.
4. Thus company should had promoted the advantages of Savlon rather than its features.
They did it in later stage which was of mere use.
5. Company should thrive on innovation and for this more number of variants should be
introduced and if possible soap with combined attributes (health as well as beauty
care) should be introduced which can attract consumers.
6. Lifebuoy is more preferred because of its price and durability, so efforts need to be
taken to improve Savlons durability and not increasing the price.
7. More investment should be made in the research and development of the soap as it
can provide an USP to the brand and company as a whole.
8. Company should increase the availability of the product, in most of the kirana stores
(which are the prime destinations of purchasing soaps for consumers) Savlon soap
was not available.

Page 56

CONCLUSION

Page 57

The soap industry in India has been under a change with the advancement of
technology. The major players in soap industry HUL, J&J, P&G, etc are having a stiff
competition to gain maximum market share. The toilet soap sales are declining, eroded by
liquid and gel cleansers for the increasingly popular shower toiletries sector. Bar soap
producers are fighting back, taking ingredients such as aromatherapy oils and natural
extracts to provide added functionality and consumer appeal.
From the survey conducted it can be concluded that even though Savlon has better
attributes than Dettol it is unable to compete because of the exceptional strategies adopted
by HUL. J&J were not expecting the counter attack of HUL and were also weak in their
positioning which was a hurdle in their success.
Today soaps are being purchased on major 3 factors:
a. Brand Name
b. Antiseptic Quality
c. Beauty care
Any soap which achieves expertise in at least two of the above mentioned three factors does
very well in the Indian market.

Page 58

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Page 59


http://marketingpractice.blogspot.com/2009/01/savlon-

heals-

without-hurting.html

http://www.naukrihub.com/india/fmcg/overview/soaps/

http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2003-10-

26/news/27551402_1_power-brand-strategy-hll-reckitt-benckiser-s-dettol
http://www.dettol.co.in/soaps.html
www.indianmirror.com/indian-industries/soap.html

www.niir.org/profiles/profiles/soap...toilet-soaps.../index.html

Page 60

ANNEXURES
Page 61

QUESTIONAIRE
NAME:
AGE:
GENDER:
Q1) Currently which variety of soap do you use?
o A.BEAUTY CARE
o B.AYURVEDIC
o C.SKINCARE
o D.ANTISEPTIC
Q2) To what extent is each of the following features an important
consideration to you in selecting your soap?

A.PRICE
o EXTREMELY IMPORTANT
o IMPORTANT

o SOMEWHAT IMPORTANT

o NOT AT ALL IMPORTANT

Page 62

B.BRAND NAME

o EXTREMELY IMPORTANT
o IMPORTANT

o SOMEWHAT IMPORTANT

o NOT AT ALL IMPORTANT

C.FRAGNANCE

o EXTREMELY IMPORTANT
o IMPORTANT

o SOMEWHAT IMPORTANT

o NOT AT ALL IMPORTANT

D.HYGIENE

Page 63

o EXTREMELY IMPORTANT
o IMPORTANT

o SOMEWHAT IMPORTANT

o NOT AT ALL IMPORTANT

E.LATHER

o EXTREMELY IMPORTANT
o IMPORTANT

o SOMEWHAT IMPORTANT

o NOT AT ALL IMPORTANT

F.AVAILABILITY

o EXTREMELY IMPORTANT
Page 64

o IMPORTANT

o SOMEWHAT IMPORTANT

o NOT AT ALL IMPORTANT

Q3) As you hear about the following brand what comes to your mind first?

o LIFEBUOY

o SAVLON

o DETTOL

Q4) Please rate for the similarity between two brands. (Savlon and Dettol)

A.PRICE
o SIMILAR

Page 65

o LITTLE BIT SIMILAR

o NOT AT ALL SIMILAR

B.FRAGNANCE
o SIMILAR

o LITTLE BIT SIMILAR

o NOT AT ALL SIMILAR

C.FRESHNESS
o SIMILAR

o LITTLE BIT SIMILAR

o NOT AT ALL SIMILAR

D.SIZE
o SIMILAR

Page 66

o LITTLE BIT SIMILAR

o NOT AT ALL SIMILAR

Q5) Please rate for the similarity between two brands. (Savlon and

Lifebuoy)

A.PRICE
o SIMILAR

o LITTLE BIT SIMILAR

o NOT AT ALL SIMILAR

B.FRAGNANCE
o SIMILAR

o LITTLE BIT SIMILAR

Page 67

o NOT AT ALL SIMILAR

C.FRESHNESS
o SIMILAR

o LITTLE BIT SIMILAR

o NOT AT ALL SIMILAR

D.SIZE
o SIMILAR

o LITTLE BIT SIMILAR

o NOT AT ALL SIMILAR

Q6) Please rate the following brands In Lather?

DETTOL

o 1
Page 68

o
o
o
o

2
3
4
5

SAVLON

o
o
o
o
o

1
2
3
4
5

LIFEBUOY

o
o
o
o
o

1
2
3
4
5

Q7) How do you get information about the following brands.

DETTOL

o Advertising
o Friends/Family
o Stores
Page 69

o Others
SAVLON

o
o
o
o

Advertising
Friends/Family
Stores
Others

LIFEBUOY

o
o
o
o

Advertising
Friends/Family
Stores
Others

Q8) Which soap would you prefer? Rank them.(1ST, 2ND , 3RD )

DETTOL
LIFEBOUY
SAVLON

Q9) Compared to Dettol and Lifebouy that are available in the

market, would you say that Savlon is....?

o
o
o
o
o

Much Better
Somewhat Better
About The Same
Somewhat Worse
Much Worse

Page 70

THANK YOU

Page 71