A diet
coke or a coke?? A simple corn flakes pack or Kellogg’s corn flakes claiming to
make people slimmer in one week?? Which one would u prefer??Definitely the one
which is healthier-this is where a business strategy changes.
Growth in
education and lifestyle diseases have increased consciousness among consumers
about their health .This sense of awareness have taken a toll over consumer’s
taste buds. Research indicates that consumer preferences are changing from a
product which is beneficial to their pockets to a product which is beneficial
to their health. For a consumer if a tetra packed product costs twenty rupees
more does not bothers him as today he is more concerned about his health not
the price of the product. Although price is a major factor that a consumer
looks upon while purchasing a product but this phenomenon is now changing very
fast .All credit goes to the advertising world. Adds on television are deriving
consumers to become health conscious. Companies are claiming that their
products are organic, no cholesterol, suitable for diabetics, antioxidant, bone
health, added calcium, fibre, gluten free. Claims are not only made by the food
and beverage companies but also several other .Moreover company’s strategy to
use “health conscious” tag with the celebrities advertising for their product
is a hit on the mark. Companies very well know that people relate themselves to
one they admire and most of them are celebrities, whether it is Bipasha Basu
advertising for a juice brand making people aware about the importance of
healthy snacking or it is Shahrukh khan endorsing eco-friendly nerolac paints
which claims to protect consumers from harmful fumes. The primary driver for
the increase in these claims is the consumer perception of
additives/preservatives being unsafe and toxic and the benefits for choosing
healthily . One can definitely say that a season of healthy products has come
around the corner. The scope for packed foods is huge. Companies are responding
with healthier products. For example- Britannia decide to eliminate what is not
healthy, it removed trans-fat from all their recipies and are doing justice to
their tag “SWASTH KHAO,TAN MANN JAGAAO” . Health claims have increased
consumers affinity with brittannia’s brand. It has seen a sales growth of 20% in
the last five years. Besides, with government regulations getting stricter, even
smaller players have to follow healthier norms. So while nestle started the
MSC-free(mono sodium glutamate –free) claim on its noodles, today even smaller,
more regional noodle brand carry this claim. But the question here arises – Do
Indian consumers really read packs more closely today? Research indicates that
consumers are studying product packs in greater detail today. Even I myself
first read the ingredients of the most of the food products I buy. The internet
and media coverage are expanding health awareness and knowledge. Dabur, which
is consciously in the ‘healthy space’ switched to tetra pack technology for its
juices ,doing away with the needs for preservatives .Fortification, its other
plank, saw it launch juices with fibre and pomegranate juice last year.
Coca-cola India puts nutritional information on its
packaging and where it is not possible, for example on recyclable glass
bottles, this company provides the information via company websites. There is
strong agreement that healthy claims in the category will rise significantly.
In three-four years, we will get far more detailed on our foods packaging and
will have more information and declaration laws on food and drinks across the
world.
Thus we can say that Indian consumer turning
increasingly savvy, companies are doing away with unhealthy ingredients and are
fortifying their products with ‘HEALTH’.
By Richa
Ralhan
Section 3
B.com.(hons.) Ist Year
B.com.(hons.) Ist Year
Second Position
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