This document summarizes a study on rural consumer perceptions and behaviors regarding salt purchases in Himachal Pradesh, India. It finds that many rural consumers are unaware of iodine and health issues from low-iodine salt. While most know major salt brands, many cannot differentiate Tata Salt based on quality. Price is the main purchase factor. Most consumers switch between brands rather than remain loyal to one. The study suggests improving rural education on salt quality, strengthening Tata Salt distribution, and making its price more competitive to increase rural acceptability.

1. A study on the problems related to
acceptability of Tata salt in rural market
of Himachal Pradesh
Under The Guidance Of :
Mrs. Nidhi Verma
Faculty , PCTE Presented By:
Ludhiana Kapil Singh Pathania

2. Chemical Industry
Chemical industry : Different products from raw materials through
Chemical reactions.
Chemical Industry contributes in :
 Textile Industry
 Food manufacturing companies.
 Pharmaceutical Industry and Health Care Industry.
 Packaging Industry.
 The Automobile Industry.

3. Indian Chemical Industry
 Inorganic Chemicals.
 Drugs and Pharmaceuticals.
 Plastics and Petrochemicals.
 Pesticides, Fertilizers and other Agro-Chemical
Products.
 Specialty and Fine Chemicals like Dyes and Paints.

4. Projects and Expansions
 Developing after the country's independence in 1947.
 Growing at the rate of more than 10% annually.
 Indian Chemical Industry ranks 12th in the world and
accounts for 13% of total exports from India.
 Accounting for 2% of global output.
Source: Indian Chemical Council

5. Introduction to Tata
Chemicals Limited
 Established in 1939 at Mithapur (Gujarat, India).
 Businesses- LIFE — living, industrial and farming
essentials.
 Global reach
 Innovation.
 Sustainable chemistry:

6. Vision and Mission
Mission
Serving society through science
Vision
 They shall be amongst premier chemical companies.
 Leveraging science to deliver new and innovative
offerings.
 Enhancing value to our customers.
 Delivering superior returns to our shareholders.
 Leading in corporate sustainability.

7. The Leadership Team
Board of Directors
 Chairman Rattan N Tata.
 Vice Chairman R Gopalakrishnan.
 Managing Director R Mukundan.
 Executive Director Kapil Mehan.
 Executive Director and CFO P K Ghose.

8. Products
Life Essentials
 Cooking Soda: Tata Samunder, Fresh Produce.
 Salt: Tata Salt, I-shakti, Tata lite.
 Tata Swach.

9. Industry Essentials
 Soda Ash.
 Sodium Bicarbonate.
 Chemicals: Caustic Soda Chlorine Based Products,
Bromine Based Products, Gypsum, Phosphoric and
Sulphuric acids.
 Sodium Tripolyphosphate.
 Cement: Tata Sudh.

10. Services
Services
Tata Kissan
Sansar
Khet Se Call centers

11. Subsidiaries and Joint
Ventures
 Brunner Mond.
 Magadi Soda.
 Khet-Se.
 General Chemical Industrial Products (GCIP).
 Rallis India.

12. Manufacturing Plants
Mithapur
Kenya
Haldia
UK
Babrala

13. STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES
 Monopoly  Financial Problem
 Infrastructure
OPPORTUNITIES THREATS
 Rural Markets  Growing Local Brands
SWOT Analysis of Training Unit
(Himachal Salt Suppliers)

14. Ratio 2008-2009 2009-2010
Current Ratio 1.46 1.65
Current Ratio = Currents Assets
Current Liabilities

15. Ratio 2008-2009 2009-2010
Liquid ratio 0.57 0.85
Quick Ratio = (Current Asset – Inventory– prepaid expenses)
Current Liabilities

16. Ratio 2008-2009 2009-2010
Liquid ratio 0.36 0.47
Absolute liquid ratio = (Cash and bank Balances)
Current Liabilities

17. Ratio 2008-2009 2009-2010
Debt-Equity
Ratio
0.95 0.68
Debt-Equity Ratio = Debt (Long-Term Loans)
Equity (Shareholders Funds)

18. Ratio (%) 2008-2009 2009-2010
Net Profit Ratio 5.4 8.0
Net Profit Ratio = (Net Profit/ sales) X 100

19. Objectives
 To study the awareness regarding the different attributes
related to salt in the rural markets of H.P.
 To Study the perception of rural consumers towards Tata
Salt.
 To study the factors affecting the buying behavior of Salt
in the rural markets of H.P.

20. Research Methodology
Research Design
 Research design is Descriptive research design.
Universe
 All the consumers of the salt in the rural markets of India.
Population
 In this research, the population is all the consumers of salt
in the rural areas of Himachal Pradesh.

21. Sampling unit
 The sampling unit consists of every single consumer of the
salt in the rural markets of (kangra region) of Himachal
Pradesh.
Sampling size
 The sample size for my research is 100.
Sampling techniques
 convenience sampling.

22. Graph 4.1 Iodine is present in the salt (N=100)
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
Yes No Can't say
Iodine in present in salt
Responses

23. Table 4.2 Disease is caused by low iodized salt. (N=42)
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
yes no Don't Know
Responses
Responses

24. Graph 4.3 Diseases caused by impure and low iodine content salt. (N=26)
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
1.2
Goitre Weakness of bones Low Development of
brain and body parts
Problems related to
pregnancy
Diseases cause by low iodized salt
Average

25. Graph 4.4 Different brands of salt present in market (N=100)
0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.6
0.7
0.8
0.9
Tata Salt Shudh Salt PDS salt Taza Salt Open Salt Any other
Awareness regarding brands in the market
Average

26. Graph 4.5 Differentiation between Tata Salt and other brands. (N=62)
-0.6
-0.4
-0.2
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
Affordable Price Good Quality Easy Availability
Differentiation between Tata salt and other brands
Mean

27. Graph 4.6 Ranking of the preferences given to different attributes
while purchasing the salt. (N=100)
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
price quality Availability Shopkeeper's preference Brand Name
Ranking of the preferences
Rank

28. Graph 4.7 Purchase behavior regarding a particular brand (N=100)
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
Switchers Hard core loyal Soft core loyal
Purchase behaviors a particular brand
responses

29. Results and Findings
 Most of the people in the rural areas are not aware about
the iodine as the major constituent of salt.
 Among the people who are aware about the iodine, many
don’t know about the diseases caused by the low iodine
content of salt.
 Most of the people in the rural areas consider Tata salt as a
costlier product than other brands.
 There are people who say that it is not easily available in
the market. So there can be problem of distribution channel
in the rural areas.

30.  Many of them can’t differentiate Tata salt from other
brands on the quality and purity.
 Most of the people buys the salt, as preferred by the
shopkeeper or considers price while buying the salt. Very
few are there who differentiates the salt on the basis of the
level of quality.
 Most of the people in the rural areas are switchers and does
not stick to a particular brand. Only few hard core loyal are
there.

31. Suggestions
 Camps should be organized by the company in the rural
areas creating awareness regarding the purity of the salt.
 The company should try to organize the street plays
creating awareness regarding the diseases caused by the
impure or low iodine content salt.
 POP (Point of Purchase) should be pasted in the shops of
retailers on the regular basis creating awareness about the
Tata salt.

32.  The word of mouth plays an important part in the rural
areas, through shopkeeper so the shopkeepers should be
made aware about the diseases caused by impure salt.
 The distribution channel should be made strong.
 The company should make the price of salt more
competitive.

33. Rural Marketing

35. Thank you