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Consumer Awareness: Case of Ready-to-Eat Food Products in Kashmir Valley

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© 2023, Centre for Advanced Research in Agricultural Sciences ISSN: 0976-1675 (P)
Research Journal of Agricultural Sciences ISSN: 2249-4538 (E)
CARAS Volume 14; Issue 05 (Sep-Oct 2023); pp 1547–1550

Full Length Research Article

Consumer Awareness: Case of Ready-to-Eat Food Products in Kashmir

Valley

Yasir Ayoub*1, Mohd. Sarwar Rahman2 and Rayees Afzal Mir3

1-3 School of Business and Commerce, Glocal University, Saharanpur - 247 121, Uttar Pradesh, India

Abstract
The present study entitled “Consumer awareness: Case of ready-to-eat food products in Kashmir valley” was conducted
during the year 2021. The present study was a descriptive type of research in nature and was based on both primary and
secondary data. The area of study was district Srinagar of Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory of India. The total numbers
of 300 people were selected for the study as sample and the investigation incorporated convenient sampling technique.
The study found that the majority of the out of 300 respondents all of 300 respondents i.e. (100 per cent) were familiar
with the “Ready-to-Eat” food products. Furthermore, the study revealed that, 123 respondents i.e. (41.00 per cent) said
that they get information about “Ready-to-Eat” food products from family. As far as advertisements are concerned the
highest numbers of respondents which includes 141 respondents i.e. (47.00 per cent) said that internet is the mode of
advertisement increasing their awareness towards “Ready-to-Eat” food products. Study also concluded that, 187
respondents i.e. (62.33 per cent) said that Advertisements through TV, Internet, Radio and hoardings keep them up to
date regarding the segment.

Key words: Ready-to-eat, Descriptive, Consumer awareness, Food products

The varied climatic conditions of India, which favours percent till the period of 2024 [4]. Consumer awareness is all
the mass production of food grains and accessibility of hopeful about the quality and quantity of information a consumer holds
infrastructural facilities, are the key gears which have always with respect of goods and services available in the market.
supported the food processing segment of our country to turn Every marketer in the present era of globalization focused on
into the fifth biggest within the world. Indian food processing the achieving the highest degrees of profits. In every single
sector represents 32 percent of the total food market and the imaginable manner, the producers are attempting to increase the
sector fetches more than 2.2 per cent of the absolute Foreign offer of their goods and services. While having the objectives
Direct Investment inflows to India. The Indian food processing of profit maximization the marketers underestimate the
segment was estimated at INR 25,691.30 billion during the consumer focus and satisfaction. In this view many sellers cheat
period of 2018 and is projected to arrive at INR 53,435.52 the consumers in the form of black marketing, selling low
billion by financial year 2024, extending at a “Compound quality products, price discrimination and so on. In this way to
Annual Growth Rate” of 12.09 per cent from the financial year save himself from being cheated, it is essential for a customer
2020 to 2024 [1]. The “Ready-to-Eat” food industry to know. Thusly, consumer awareness implies making attention
incorporates those products which could be eaten instantly and to a buyer towards his privileges and obligations. It has been
which do not need any further cooking or fixings subsequent to noticed all the time that a shopper doesn't get right products and
opening. These are the commercially prepared food items with ventures. He is charged an extremely excessive cost or debased
are sold to the consumers as hot, ready to consume with an or bad quality products are offered to him. Consequently, it
objective to ease in eating. The “Ready-to-Eat” food products becomes necessary to make him aware. Consumers are
include the food items such as canned and preserved food items, exploited because they are ignorant, honest and have very less
instant eatables, frozen and dried foods etc. [2]. These products information about the market. Therefore, it becomes very
are gaining popularity among the consumers due to its ease in necessary to aware the public so that they will safeguard
preparation, consumption and storage [3]. The experts are with themselves from the exploitations by the sellers as whole.
an opinion that the Indian “Ready to Eat” segment is projected Awareness and knowledge enable the consumers to tackle down
to grow at a promising “Compound Annual Growth Rate” of the issues which they face during purchase of goods and
16.24 per cent and is projected to earn the revenue of 68.47 services. Studies are evidence that the level of awareness varies

Received: 30 Jul 2023; Revised accepted: 06 Oct 2023; Published online: 11 Oct 2023
Correspondence to: Yasir Ayoub, School of Business and Commerce, Glocal University, Saharanpur - 247 121, Uttar Pradesh, India; E-mail:
[email protected]

Citation: Ayoub Y, Rahman MS, Mir RA. 2023. Consumer awareness: Case of ready-to-eat food products in Kashmir Valley. Res. Jr. Agril. Sci. 14(5): 1547-
1550.
from consumer to consumer, from product to product, from Table 1 Familiarity of respondents with “Ready-to-Eat”
market to market and so on. A study conducted during the year food products
2010 on 300 consumers concluded that, out of 41.6 per cent of Response Frequency Percentage
respondents possessed a least degree of awareness with respect Yes 300 100
to customer terms. Among them, 15.0 percent were male and No 0 0.00
26.6 percent were females. Just 23.3 per cent respondents had Total 300 100
fractional awareness within that 15.0 percent are guys and 8.3
percent females. Out of aggregate, 35 percent respondents had Source of information about “Ready-to-Eat” food products to
elevated level of awareness with 20% having a place with guys the respondents
and 15 percent to females. Level of awareness with respect to The (Table 2) represents the information about “Ready-
different phrasings was seen that 53.3 percent males and 66.6 to-Eat” food products to the respondents. Out of 300
percent females knew about the Ag mark [5]. The “Ready-to- respondents, 32 respondents i.e. (10.66 per cent) said that they
Eat” food products are widely preferred due to changing get information from friends about “Ready-to-Eat” food
lifestyle of the people. As people are getting busy in their daily products, followed by 123 respondents i.e. (41.00 per cent) said
activities, they don’t possess enough time to cook which leads that they get information from family, followed by 88
them towards convenient eatables [6]. There are several other respondents i.e. (29.34 per cent) said that they get information
factors which are responsible for increasing consumption and from advertisement, followed by 57 respondents i.e. (19.00 per
preference of “Ready-to-Eat” food products such as taste cent) said that they get information from retailers, followed by
orientation and convenience, health orientation, and easy 0 respondents i.e. (0.00 per cent) said that they get information
accessibility [7]. Studies are in support of the claim that there is from others about “Ready-to-Eat” food products.
an increasing demand of “Ready-to-Eat” food products
however it must be taken into consideration that the consumer Table 2 Source of information about “Ready-to-Eat” food
awareness and availability of products have been identified as products to the respondents
the key factors influencing the buying pattern of the consumers Response Frequency Percentage
with respect to “Ready-to-Eat” food products [8]. Another Friends 32 10.66
study conducted in India seeking consumer awareness Family 123 41.00
regarding food and food ingredients concluded that out of 126 Advertisement 88 29.34
numbers of respondents, 91.7 per cent of consumers were aware Retailers 57 19.00
with respect to preservatives used in food, 84.9 per cent were Others 0 0.00
aware about the flavouring agents used in food but their Total 300 100
knowledge and level of awareness was inadequate in terms of
the impact of the synthetic flavouring and preservation agents Most commonly known brand of “Ready-to-Eat food”
used in packed food stuffs [9]. However, there are certain products to the respondents
studies which state that the educated customers are mostly The (Table 3) represents the most commonly known
health conscious and are highly aware regarding the food items brand of “Ready-to-Eat” food products to the respondents. Out
which they are consuming and their impact on health. of 300 respondents, 17 respondents i.e. (5.67 per cent) said that
Furthermore, the factors influencing their perception level the mostly commonly known brand of “Ready-to-Eat” food
towards “Ready-to-Eat” food products were found as products to them is MTR, followed by 32 respondents i.e.
ingredients, brand and packaging of food items [10]. With an (10.67 per cent) said that the mostly commonly known brand to
objective to convert the increasing demand for “Ready-to-Eat” them is Haldiram’s, followed by 39 respondents i.e. (13.00 per
food products into business opportunities all the business cent) said that the mostly commonly known brand to them is
organizations need to increase the level of consumer awareness Balaji, followed by 46 respondents i.e. (15.34 per cent) said that
regarding all the aspects associated with the “Ready-to-Eat” the mostly commonly known brand is Britannia, followed by 68
food products [11]. respondents i.e. (22.66 per cent) said that the mostly commonly
known brand to them is Parle, followed by 53 respondents i.e.
MATERIALS AND METHODS (17.66 per cent) said that the mostly commonly known brand to
them is ITC, followed by 45 respondents i.e. (15.00 per cent)
The investigation was a descriptive type of research in said that the mostly commonly known brand of “Ready-to-Eat”
nature and was based on both primary and secondary data. The food products to them is Kissan.
area of study was district Srinagar of Jammu and Kashmir
Union Territory of India. The total numbers of 300 people were Table 3 Most commonly known brand of “Ready-o-Eat”
selected for the study as sample from the study area by food products to the respondents
employing convenient sampling technique. The primary data Brands Frequency Percentage
was collected through a predetermined schedule and the MTR 17 5.67
secondary data was collected through online websites, journals Haldiram’s 32 10.67
and so on. Finally, the percentage analysis and frequency Balaji 39 13.00
analysis were used to present the data to get meaningful results. Britannia 46 15.34
Parle 68 22.66
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION ITC 53 17.66
Kissan 45 15.00
Familiarity of respondents with “Ready-to-Eat” food products Total 300 100
The (Table 1) represent the familiarity of respondents
with “Ready-to-Eat” food products. Within the 300 number of Modes of advertisements increasing the consumer awareness
respondents all 300 respondents i.e. (100 per cent) were towards “Ready-to-Eat” food products
familiar, followed by 0 respondents i.e. (0.00 per cent) were not The (Table 4, Fig 1) represents the Modes of
familiar with the with “Ready-to-Eat” food products. advertisements increasing the consumer awareness towards

Res. Jr. Agril. Sci. 1548 CARAS

“Ready-to-Eat” food products. Out of 300 respondents 64 Eat” food products. Out of 300 respondents, 78 respondents i.e.
respondents i.e. (21.33 per cent) said that television is the mode (26 per cent) said that Face Book is the social media network
of advertisement increasing their awareness towards “Ready to which increases their awareness towards the “Ready-to-Eat”
Eat” food products, followed by 15 respondents i.e. (5.00 per food products, followed by 19 respondents i.e. (6.33 per cent)
cent) said that radio is the mode of advertisement increasing said that Whats App is the social media network which
their awareness, followed by 38 respondents i.e. (12.67 per increases their awareness, followed by 26 respondents i.e. (8.67
cent) said that newspaper is the mode of advertisement per cent) said that Instagram is the social media network which
increasing their awareness, followed by 141 respondents i.e. increases their awareness, followed by 177 respondents i.e.
(47.00 per cent) said that internet is the mode of advertisement (59.00 per cent) said that YouTube is the social media network
increasing their awareness, followed by 42 respondents i.e. which increases their awareness towards the “Ready-to-Eat”
(14.00 per cent) said that banners and hoardings is the mode of food products.
advertisement increasing their awareness towards “Ready-to-
Eat” food products. Table 5 Modes of social media increasing the consumer
awareness towards “Ready-to-Eat” Food products
141 Modes of social media Frequency Percentage
150 Face book 78 26
Whats App 19 6.33
Instagram 26 8.67
100
64 YouTube 177 59.00
Frequency

42 Total 300 100

38
50
15
Most informative agency keeping the consumers aware an up to
date regarding “Ready-to-Eat” food products
0 The (Table 6) represents the most informative agency
Television Radio Newspaper Internet Banners
and keeping the consumers aware an up to date regarding “Ready-
hoardings to-Eat” food products. Within 300 number of respondents, 113
"Modes of advertisements increasing the consumer
respondents i.e. (37.66 per cent) said that traders like retailers,
awareness towards “Ready-to-Eat” food products" wholesalers and distributors, keep them up to date regarding the
“Ready to Eat” food products, followed by the 187 respondents
Fig 1 Modes of advertisements increasing the consumer i.e. (62.33 per cent) said that advertisements through TV,
awareness towards “Ready-to-Eat” food products internet, radio and hoardings keep them up to date regarding the
“Ready-to-Eat” food products.
Table 4 Modes of advertisements increasing the consumer
awareness towards “Ready-to-Eat” food products Table 6 Most informative agency keeping the consumers
Modes of advertisements Frequency Percentage aware an up to date regarding “Ready-to-Eat” food
Television 64 21.33 products
Radio 15 5.00 Options Frequency Percentage
Newspaper 38 12.67 Traders like retailers,
113 37.66
Internet 141 47.00 wholesalers and distributors
Banners and hoardings 42 14.00 Advertisements through TV,
Total 300 100 187 62.33
Internet, Radio and hoardings
Total 300 100
Facebook 177
180 WhatsApp CONCLUSION
160 Instagram
Youtube
140 The present study was conducted during the year 2021.
120 It was revealed from the study that all the 300 respondents i.e.
Frequency

100 78 (100 per cent) were familiar with “Ready-to-Eat” food

80 products. Furthermore, the study revealed that, 123 respondents
60 i.e. (41.00 per cent) said that they get information about
19 26 “Ready-to-Eat” food products from family, followed by 88
40
respondents i.e. (29.34 per cent) said that they get information
20
about “Ready-to-Eat” food products from advertisement. Also,
0 the highest number of respondents which includes 68
"Modes of social media increasing the consumer respondents i.e. (22.66 per cent) said that the mostly commonly
awareness towards “Ready-to-Eat” Food products" known brand of “Ready-to-Eat” food products to them is Parle,
followed by 53 respondents i.e. (17.66 per cent) said that the
Fig 1 Modes of social media increasing the consumer awareness mostly commonly known brand of “Ready-to-Eat” food
towards “Ready-to-Eat” food products products to them is ITC. As far as advertisements are concerned
the highest number of respondents which includes 141
Modes of social media increasing the consumer awareness respondents i.e. (47.00 per cent) said that internet is the mode
towards “Ready-to-Eat” food products of advertisement increasing their awareness towards “Ready-
The (Table 5, Fig 2) represents the Modes of social to-Eat” food products followed by 64 respondents i.e. (21.33
media increasing the consumer awareness towards “Ready-to- per cent) said that television is the mode of advertisement

CARAS 1549 Res. Jr. Agril. Sci.

increasing their awareness towards “Ready-to-Eat” food Limitations
products. Furthermore, the majority of respondents which ▪ Present investigation was limited till the district Srinagar of
included 177 respondents i.e. (59.00 per cent) said that Jammu and Kashmir union territory of India therefore results
YouTube is the social media network which increases their can’t be generalized.
awareness towards the “Ready-to-Eat” food products. Lastly ▪ Due to COVID-19 pandemic issues only 300 numbers of
the study concluded that out of 300 respondents, 113 respondents got ready for a face-to-face interaction otherwise
respondents i.e. (37.66 per cent) said that Traders like retailers, the size of sample would have been more.
wholesalers and distributors, keep them up to date regarding the ▪ There will be always a wide range of scope of further study
“Ready-to-Eat” food products, followed by 187 respondents i.e. in this subject. As researcher we tried our level best to
(62.33 per cent) said that Advertisements through TV, Internet, compile an empirical paper on this topic but there are still
Radio and hoardings keep them up to date regarding the many facts and figures behind the blanket and our continuous
“Ready-to-Eat” food products. effort will be to put them forward in public domain soon.

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Res. Jr. Agril. Sci. 1550 CARAS

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