International Journal of Sales & Marketing Management Research and Development (IJSMMRD) ISSN 22496939 Vol.

2, Issue 2 June 2012 17-33 TJPRC Pvt. Ltd.,

A STUDY ON CONSUMER PREFERENCE OF NATURAL PERSONAL CARE PRODUCTS IN CHENNAI REGION FOR ADOPTING GREEN MARKETING
1

C.SENTHIL NATHAN & 2 K. MALAR MATHI

Asisstant Professor, Care School of Business Management,Thayanoor Village, Trichy-620 009 Research Scholar, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. India.
2

Associate Professor, Bharathiar School of Management & Entrepreneurship Development Bharathiar University, Coimbatore ,Tamil Nadu. India.

ABSTRACT
Indian Metrological Department on its annual climate summary declared that 2010 was the warmest year since 1901. The annual mean temperature averaged over the country as a whole was 25.8023 degrees Celsius in 2010. This translates to an increase of 0.93 degrees over the average for the 30-year period from 1961-1990. The previous record was achieved in 2009, when the annual mean temperature averaged over the country in its entirety was 25.7876 degrees Celsius. The departures from the normal were more than one degree Celsius over most parts of northern and central India, while they were between zero and one degree over the rest of the country. This indicates global warming is reality and happening and the imperativeness of adopting Green Marketing in various product categories. Green marketing consists of all activities designed to generate and facilitate any exchanges intended to satisfy human needs or wants, such that the satisfaction of these needs and wants occurs with minimal detrimental impact on the natural environment. This research paper focuses on green marketing in home care and personal care product category. It studies consumer preference of natural bath soap, Detergent, tooth paste, surface cleaner, facewash and shampoo in Chennai. Understanding consumer awareness, preference, purchasing habits, reasons for preference of natural products is crucial for successfully adopting green marketing in a product category. Descriptive Research Design is adopted for the study and Judgment- purposive sampling is used for the study. Analysis is done using statistical tools such as Chi-square, Anova, Annacova and Paried t-test. Interesting findings were obtained and suggestions given.

KEY WORDS: Global warming, Green Marketing, Natural Home and Personal care products,
Preference

INTRODUCTION
Indian Metrological Department on its annual climate summary declared that 2010 was the warmest year since 1901. The annual mean temperature averaged over the country as a whole was 25.8023 degrees Celsius in 2010. This translates to an increase of 0.93 degrees over the average for the 30-year period from 1961-1990. The previous record was achieved in 2009, when the annual mean temperature

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A Study on Consumer Preference of Natural Personal Care Products in Chennai Region for Adopting Green Marketing

averaged over the country in its entirety was 25.7876 degrees Celsius. The departures from the normal were more than one degree Celsius over most parts of northern and central India, while they were between zero and one degree over the rest of the country. This indicates global warming is reality and happening and the imperativeness of adopting Green Marketing in various product categories. It is the responsibility of all stakeholders of business such as customers, marketers, suppliers, government to go green to evade further temperature rise that will lead to natural calamity. Ottman 1993 Davis 1993 and Kangun 1994 defines Green marketing consists of all activities designed to generate and facilitate any exchanges intended to satisfy human needs or wants, such that the satisfaction of these needs and wants occurs with minimal detrimental impact on the natural environment. This research paper focuses on green marketing in home care and personal care product category. It studies consumer preference of natural bath soap, Detergent, tooth paste, surface cleaner, facewash and shampoo in SouthChennai. Understanding consumer awareness, preference, purchasing habits, reasons for preference of natural products is crucial for successfully adopting green marketing in a product category. LIST OF TABLES TABLE No 1 2 NATURAL PERSONAL CARE PRODUCTS PURCHASER DETAILS NATURAL PERSONAL CARE PRODUCT CATEGORY WISE PURCHASE DETAILS 3 AGE CATEGORY OF DRIVERS /TOOTH PASTE PURCHASE REASON CROSS TABULATION TOOTH PASTE PURCHASE REASON ANOVA RESULTS BATH SOAP PURCHASE REASON ANOVA RESULTS HOUSE HOLD INCOME CATEGORY OF PURCHASERS * TOOTH PASTE PURCHASE REASON -ANOVA 7 8 9 TOOTH PASTE PURCHASE REASON ANOVA RESULTS BATH SOAP PURCHASE REASON -ANOVA RESULTS Educational qualification of respondents * eco-friendly and saves earth Cross tabulation 10 11 Chi-Square Test- Results WEIGHTED ARITHMETIC MEAN FOR PURCHASERS TO INDICATE WHEN THEY WILL INCREASE THE CONSUMPTION OF NATURAL PERSONAL CARE PRODUCTS 12 WEIGHTED ARITHMETIC MEAN FOR PURCHASE REASON FOR PURCHASERS NAME

4 5 6

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13

NON-PURCHASERS RESPONSE FOR WILLINGNESS TO BUY ECO-FRIENDLY VARIANT WHEN INTRODUCED IN THEIR PURCHASING BRAND

14

ANNACOVA RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN WILLINGNESS TO BUY ECOFRIENDLY VARIANT & INCOME CONTAMINATION VARIABLE-MAJOR AGE GROUP OF NON-PURCHASERS

15 16 17

ANNACOVA RESULTS TABLE PAIRED SAMPLE STATISTICS PAIRED SAMPLE T-TEST

REVIEW OF LITERATURE
Though discussed in 1970s it was only in late 1980 the idea of Green Marketing emerged. There was rapid increase in green consumption at this point of time(ken peattie & Andrew cane 2005). Natural personal care market is growing at 15% annually for past 10 years globally. That is significant growth as whole personal care market is growing at 3% Natural is still a ambiguous term. Natural product cannot be defined unless natural ingredient is defined. If we say product is natural and naturally processed meaning it is not synthetic and synthetically processed. Organics have been defined mostly the word organic is used for food products. It crosses over rarely in personal care products(Nancy jeffries 2007). Eco-consciousness is now an expectation and that numerous brands across categories are in a race to see who can be greenest. Erdman (2008). Consumer concerns about the environment have been on the increase in recent years (Chitra, 2007). The green movement has so much momentum that the term going green had 15.6 million hits on Google in January 2008 (Erdman, 2008) and 31 million hits just over two months later. Marketing practitioners and academics attempt to identify and understand green consumers and their needs, and to develop market offerings that meet these needs (DSouza e.t al, 2007). There is little consensus about the identity and nature of green consumers. Understanding and predicting environmental behavior has proved to be remarkably difficult(Peattie,2001).There is evidence to suggest that consumers are price and quality sensitive when it comes to buying green . Other researchers have attempted to identify green consumers profiles with an intention to characterize green market segments using demographic variables and they have been able to categorize them as being young, well-educated and affluent urban dwellers. In comparison, Jolibert and Baumgartner found that although green consumers were younger and more highly educated, their green attitude was not income related.(Clare D Souza, Mehdi Taghian Rajiv Kosla ,2007). Environmental knowledge involves what people know about the environment and the beliefs that they hold about key environmental aspects or impacts. The theory reveals that consumers who are knowledgeable about the problems of the environment will be motivated towards green purchase(Fryxell and Lo,2003). It was found out by research that customers give more importance to quality of green products and willing to offer higher prices. For marketers of green products, the challenge lies in how to identify environmental beliefs and values consumers hold about green products in order to target them. For those consumers who do not currently purchase green products, the question is whether and how they can be motivated to become potential green consumers.

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A Study on Consumer Preference of Natural Personal Care Products in Chennai Region for Adopting Green Marketing

(Clare D Souza, Mehdi Taghian Rajiv Kosla ,2007). Consumers may have a favorable attitude towards green products but if cost of green products exceed its benefits they are not willing to buy green products(Ken piatte,2001). Poll findings also show that a majority of US consumers are environmentally conscious but their concerns are not brought out in their purchase decisions (Roberts, 1996). Ethical dimension of green marketing requires a balance between product performance and environmental sustainability. Natural personal care products blend aesthetics and environmental science. Marketing of environmental friendly personal care products involves complicated sense of aesthetics one that invokes connection between health and beauty. This aesthetics is based on beauty and reflects eco-cost of product.(Anne Marie Todd,2004) . Despite downturn in 2009 user demand for eco-friendly personal care and Detergent products remained robust in mature markets and has continued to grow in emerging markets. In personal care, laundry detergent and home cleaning products the challenge lies in how far can we go green without compromising on performance.(De Guzman, Dorris 2010). Consumers with higher education levels are more inclined to buy green.(Mintel 2008). The Boston Consulting Group (Manget 2009) reported that a consumer will not pay for a product based solely on its green attribute, that there must be some added value to the product such as better taste, better safety, or to help the customers save money

RESEARCH GAPS
Previous researchers focuses on consumer concern over environment resulting purchase behaviour, price and quality of green products but research on consumer awareness and preference of specific product categories such as home and personal care products is not done on Indian context in a particular city or region. Research also did not explore the reasons behind purchase of Natural or Eco-friendly personal and home care products. Though research is done on demographic variables of purchasers of green products results are based on general context and not in specific product category.

RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
(1) To understand the awareness level, purchase level of herbal/natural green products and its ecofriendliness among consumers. (2) To comprehend age, income, education has any relationship with reasons of buying natural personal care products (3) To understand the reasons for purchase of herbal/natural or green products that is majorly purchased by consumers. To identify sales promotional tools that can increase consumption among purchasers. (4) To identify the relationship between educational qualification and purchasing natural personal care products for eco-friendly reasons.. (5) To assess the product category preference and purchase of natural personal care, home care products by non-buyers of herbal/natural products when eco-friendly variant is introduced by same brand they are purchasing.

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RESEARCH DESIGN
(5.1). Descriptive Research Design: is concerned with research studies with a focus on the portrayal of characteristics of a group or individual or situation. The main objective is to acquire knowledge. This research study is conducted to gather knowledge about purchasers of green personal care products and studies reasons behind purchase. It also studies about purchase behaviour of nonpurchasers of green personal care products when a green variant is introduced in the same brand they are purchasing.

SAMPLING METHOD
Judgment Sampling-Purposive Sampling: The sample is chosen so that a particular research purpose or objective is served and is adequate for it. The sample is typical rather than representation. Purposive sampling is a type of judgment sampling. The sample is chosen in such a way it should have purchasers of Natural personal care products among the target audience. The retailers of Natural personal care products are interviewed and based on their information residences in and around 10 kms range of retailer is chosen for the study, so the target audience will include purchasers of Natural personal care products to satisfy the research purpose. Thus sampling uses judgment of researcher and retail experts and samples are chosen so particular research objective or research purpose is served.

PLACE OF STUDY
Research study is conducted in south Chennai in Adyar area. This area has around 10 shops retailing natural personal care products. Residences within 5 kms radius location of the retails shops in adyar area is surveyed to gather the required information.

SAMPLE SIZE
A total of 75 samples (residences) had been surveyed out of which 9 questionnaires was rejected due to incomplete data. And final sample size is 66 residences from adyar area in Chennai region.

PRODUCT CATEGORIES
The product categories focused by the research study includes bath soaps, detergents, tooth paste, surface cleaner, face gel, shampoo. ANALYSIS & INTERPRETATION: NATURAL PERSONAL CARE PRODUCTS PURCHASER DETAILS

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A Study on Consumer Preference of Natural Personal Care Products in Chennai Region for Adopting Green Marketing

Table 1.0 Frequency Purchaser Non-Purchaser Total 33 33 66 Percentage 50% 50% 100%

INTERPRETATION: Out of sample size of 66, 50% were purchasers of natural personal care products and other 50% were non-purchasers of natural personal care products. (NATURAL PERSONAL CARE PRODUCT CATEGORY WISE PURCHASE DETAILS Table 2.0 Frequency of Product Category Different product category purchased Detergent Bath Soap Shampoo Tooth Paste Surface Cleaner Face gel Total 2 18 7 21 0 5 53 3.8% 34% 13.2% 39.6% 0% 9.4% 100% Percentage

INTERPRETATION: Tooth paste is the most widely purchased product in natural personal care product category followed by shampoo as revealed by the study. (10.3) ANNOVA: HYPOTHESIS: There is no significant relationship between Age and Reason for purchasing Natural tooth paste.

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AGE CATEGORY OF DRIVERS * TOOTH PASTE PURCHASE REASON Crosstabulation Table 3.0 TOOTH PASTE PURCHASE REASON Healthy product with less chemicals 20 - 30 AGE CATEGORY OF DRIVERS Total 31 - 40 41 - 50 ABOVE 61 3 5 1 0 9 5 1 2 0 8 eco-friendly product Healthy and eco-friendly product 4 5 2 1 12 Gives better resluts than regular product 1 0 2 1 4 13 11 7 2 33 Total

ANOVA RESULTS TOOTH PASTE PURCHASE REASON Table 4.0 Sum of Squares Between Groups Within Groups Total 5.097 28.236 33.333

df 3 29 32

Mean Square 1.699 .974

F 1.745

Sig. .180

As significance is above .05, HYPOTHESIS IS ACCEPTED. HYPOTHESIS: There is no significant relationship between Age and Reason for purchasing Natural Herbal soap. INTERPRETATION: Customers age does not have any relationships with the reason for purchasing natural/herbal tooth paste.

ANOVA RESULTS AGE CATEGORY OF DRIVERS * BATH SOAP PURCHASE REASON

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A Study on Consumer Preference of Natural Personal Care Products in Chennai Region for Adopting Green Marketing

HYPOTHESIS: There is no significant relationship between age category of respondents and natural bath soap purchase reason. BATH SOAP PURCHASE REASON ANOVA RESULTS Table 5.0 Sum of Squares Between Groups Within Groups Total 3.568 15.341 18.909

df 3 29 32

Mean Square 1.189 .529

F 2.248

Sig. .104

As significance is above .05, HYPOTHESIS IS ACCEPTED. INTERPRETATION: Customers age does not have any relationships with the reason for purchasing natural/herbal BATH SOAP. HOUSE HOLD INCOME CATEGORY OF PURCHASERS * TOOTH PASTE PURCHASE REASON- ANOVA HYPOTHESIS: There is no significant relationship between income and Reason for purchasing Natural Herbal soap Table 6.0 Cross tabulation TOOTH PASTE PURCHASE REASON Healthy product with less chemicals HOUSE HOLD INCOME CATEGORY OF PURCHASERS Total 10001-20000 20001-30000 30001-40000 ABOVE 41000 3 3 2 1 9 1 5 1 1 8 eco-friendly product Healthy and eco-friendly product 2 4 4 2 12 Gives better results than regular product 1 0 2 1 4 7 12 9 5 33 Total

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ANOVA TOOTH PASTE PURCHASE REASON-ANOVA RESULTS Table 7.0 Sum of Squares Between Groups Within Groups Total 2.360 30.974 33.333 3 29 32 df Mean Square .787 1.068 .736 F Sig. .539

As significance is above .05, Hypothesis is Accepted INTERPRETATION: Income does not play a role in influencing purchase reason for Natural/Herbal Tooth paste. (10.6)HOUSE HOLD INCOME CATEGORY OF PURCHASERS * BATH SOAP PURCHASE REASON-Anova HYPOTHESIS: There is no significant relationship between income and Reason for purchasing Natural Herbal soap ANOVA BATH SOAP PURCHASE REASON ANOVA RESULTS Table 8.0 Sum of Squares Between Groups Within Groups Total 1.363 17.546 18.909 3 29 32 df Mean Square .454 .605 .751 F Sig. .531

Hypothesis is Accepted. Income does not play a role in influencing reason for purchasing natural/herbalbath soap. CHI-SQUARE HYPOTHESIS: There exists relationship between educational qualification and reason for purchasing green product for eco-friendliness

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A Study on Consumer Preference of Natural Personal Care Products in Chennai Region for Adopting Green Marketing

Table 9.0 Educational qualification of respondents * eco-friendly and saves earth Cross tabulation eco-friendly and saves earth 2 educational qualification of respondents PG OTHERS Total 0 0 1 1 1 8 2 2 21 2 0 3 5 3 33 UG 1 6 17 1 25 3 4 5 Total

Chi-Square Tests -Results Table 10.0 Asymp. Sig. Value Pearson Chi-Square Likelihood Ratio N of Valid Cases 7.218(a) 5.555 33 df 6 6 (2-sided) .301 .475

Hypothesis is accepted. INTERPRETATION: Depending on educational qualification respondents vary in their opinion for purchasing green products for eco-friendliness.

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(10.8)WEIGHTED ARITHMETIC MEAN FOR PURCHASERS TO INDICATE WHEN THEY WILL INCREASE THE CONSUMPTION OF NATURAL PERSONAL CARE PRODUCTS Table 11.0
STRONGLY S.No STATEMENT DIS AGREE I 1 Home delivery option is available 1 II 5 DIS AGREE NEITHER AGREE NOR DISAGREE III 24 2 STRONGLY AGREE V 1 33

AGREE IV

TOTAL

WAM

Wx 2 Quantity Discount is available wx 3 wx 4 wx Free gifts are available product has unique ingrediant

1 1

10 7

72 16

8 8

5 1

96 33

2.90

1 1 1 7 7

14 14 28 5 10

48 4 12 16 48

32 12 48 3 12

5 2 10 2 10

100 33 99 33 87

3.03

2.63

INTERPRETATION: Weighted Arithmetic mean infers PURCHASERS will increase the consumption of Natural personal care products when QUANTITY DISCOUNT IS AVAILABLE. (10.9) WEIGHTED ARITHMETIC MEAN FOR PURCHASE REASON FOR PURCHASERS Table 12.0
STRONGLY DIS AGREE I 1 Eco-friendly & saves earth x wx Chemical less when compared to other products WX Yields quick results when compared to normal products WX Solves health problems than normal products WX It is of very high quality WX 0 0 0 0 1 DIS AGREE II 1 2 5 10 4 NEITHER STRONGL AGREE AGREE Y AGREE NOR TOTAL DISAGREE IV V III 9 22 3 35 27 14 42 16 88 14 56 14 15 2 10 0 132 35 118 35 3.37

SNO

STATEMENT

WAM 3.77

1 0 0 3 3

8 10 20 3 6

48 12 36 16 48

56 13 52 13 52

0 0 0 0 0

113 35 108 35 109

3.23

3.08 3.11

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A Study on Consumer Preference of Natural Personal Care Products in Chennai Region for Adopting Green Marketing

INTERPRETATION: Weighted Arithmetic mean infers .The major purchase reason for purchasing natural personal care products was eco-friendly and saves earth. ANALYSIS OF NON-PURCHASERS (10.10) NON-PURCHASERS RESPONSE FOR WILLINGNESS TO BUY ECO-FRIENDLY VARIANT WHEN INTRODUCED IN THEIR PURCHASING BRAND Table 13.0 Probably Try the product Freq 1 2 3 4 5 Tooth Paste Bath Soap Detergent Shampoo Surface Cleaner 6 Face Gel 2 6.9 6 20.7 20 69 1 3.4 29 2 2 2 1 2 % 6.9 6.9 6.9 3.4 6.9 Freq 2 17 4 19 6 % 6.9 58.6 13.8 65.5 20.7 Freq 25 9 19 5 15 % 86.2 31 65.5 17.2 51.7 Probably will not buy Freq 0 1 4 4 6 % 0 3.4 13.8 13.8 20.7 29 29 29 29 29

S.No. Statement

Definitely Buy

Not Sure

INTERPRETATION: The table articulates Bath Soap and Shampoo are the product categories in which Non-Purchasers are willing to buy eco-friendly variant when introduced by their same manufacturer in which they buy their brand. (10.11)ANNACOVA RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN WILLINGNESS TO BUY ECO-FRIENDLY VARIANT & INCOME CONTAMINATION VARIABLE-MAJOR AGE GROUP OF NONPURCHASERS Table 14.0 INCOME PRODUCT CATEGORY TOOTH PASTE BATH SOAP DETERGENT SHAMPOO FACE GEL SURFACE CLEANER TOTAL MEAN 17 72 12 Rs.10,000 Rs.30,000 X 12 11 11 10 11 5 30 5 Y 6 6 5 4 4 12 92 15.33 Rs.30,000 & Above X 17 17 15 14 17 9 52 8.3 Y 9 9 7 9 9

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H0: Willingness to buy eco-friendly variant by Non-Purchasers does not depend on Income Y- Contamination or Uncontrollable variable. Major Age group of Non-purchasers. Correction factor for X= 2241.33, Y=560.33 XY=1120.67 ANNACOVA TABLE Table 15.0 DF BETWEEN GROUP WITHIN GROUP 1 9 10 DF BETWEEN GROUP WITHIN GROUP 1 9 SS FOR X 33.33 53.67 87.00 SS 1.04 53.49 SS FOR Y 7.33 40.34 47.67 MS 1.04 5.94 0.18 SS FOR XY 36.67 2.67 39.34 F

V1=1, V2=9 CV < TV Accept Hypothesis.

TV=5.11 CV=0.18

INTERPRETATION: Non-Purchaser willingness to purchase eco-friendly variant does not depend on Income. Regression of X on Y on b= 2.67/40.34=0.07 GROUP 1(Rs.10,000 Rs.30,000)= 5 - 6.85= - 1.85 GROUP 2(Rs.30,000 & Above )= 8.7 - 6.85= 1.85 Adjustment of y on G1= 12 0.07(-1.85)=12.13 G2=15.33-0.07(1.85)=15.2

INTERPRETATION: Since Group 2(Rs.30,000 &Above)

has 15 NON-Purchasers willing to

purchase eco-friendly variant if introduced by their manufacturer after removing the influence of age of non-purchasers, this group should be targeted by the manufacturers. T-test for buying intension of natural tooth paste & bath soap by Non-purchasers: HYPOTHESIS: There is so significant difference between Non-Purchasers response for buying intension for Natural tooth paste and Natural bath soap.

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A Study on Consumer Preference of Natural Personal Care Products in Chennai Region for Adopting Green Marketing

Paired Samples Statistics Table 16.0 Std. Error Mean Pair 1 Buying intension of 3.3103 tooth paste Buying intension of 3.8966 bath soap 29 .40925 .07600 29 .54139 .10053 N Std. Deviation Mean

Paired Samples Test Table 17.0 Sig. (2tailed)

Paired Differences Std. Error Mean 95% Confidence Interval of the Difference Lower Pair Buying 1 intension of tooth paste -.5862 Buying intension of bath soap .50123 .09308 -.7769 -.3955 Upper

df

Mean

Std. Deviation

-6.298

28

.000

As significance is less than .05 Hypotheses is rejected. There is significant difference between Non-Purchasers response for buying intension for Natural tooth paste and Natural bath soap.

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INTERPRETATION: Non-purchasers differ in their opinion between buying intension of Natural tooth paste and buying intension of Natural bath soap. Both products dont have same buying requirements. IMPERATIVE FINDINGS: (1) Out of sample size of 66, 50% were purchasers of natural personal care products and other 50% were non-purchasers of natural personal care products. Hence 50% of the population were aware and buying natural personal care products. More emphasis should be given on creating awareness about natural personal care brands. (2) Tooth paste is the most widely purchased product in natural personal care product category followed by bath soaps as revealed by the study. Focus should be done on other product categories to increase awareness and purchase. (3) Customers age does not have any relationships with the reason for purchasing natural/herbal tooth paste, bath soap. Healthy product with less chemicals, eco-friendly product, Healthy and ecofriendly product, Gives better results than regular product are reasons given for purchasing Natural/herbal product, respondent age did not have any influence on the above stated reasons for purchasing the product (4) Income does not play a role in influencing purchase reason for Natural/Herbal Tooth paste, bath soap. Healthy product with less chemicals, eco-friendly product, Healthy and eco-friendly product, Gives better results than regular product are reasons given for purchasing Natural/herbal product. Respondent income did not have any influence on the above stated reasons for purchasing the product. (5) Depending on educational qualification respondents vary in their opinion for purchasing green products for eco-friendliness. A person choosing natural/personal/eco-friendly product for its ecofriendliness vary with his or her education level. If higher the education level such as UG more inclination towards purchase for eco-friendly reasons. (6) Weighted Arithmetic mean infers the major purchase reason for purchasing natural personal care products was eco-friendly and saves earth. It implies personal care products are majorly purchased for eco-friendly reasons followed by reduced usage of chemicals. (7) Weighted Arithmetic mean infers PURCHASERS will increase the consumption of Natural personal care products when QUANTITY DISCOUNT IS AVAILABLE. Quantity discount can be tried as sales promotional tool by Natural/personal/herbal personal care product manufacturers in increase the consumption among purchasers NON-PURCHASERS (1). Bath Soap and Shampoo are the product categories in which Non-Purchasers are willing to buy eco-friendly variant when introduced by their same manufacturer in which they buy their brand. Normal

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A Study on Consumer Preference of Natural Personal Care Products in Chennai Region for Adopting Green Marketing

personal care manufacturers should focus on developing eco-friendly variant in bath soap and shampoo categories as there was more demand for this categories by Non-purchasers. (2) Annacova reveals Non-Purchaser willingness to purchase eco-friendly variant does not depend on Income. Rs.30,000 &Above income group should be targeted among Non-purchasers as they buy natural personal care products for eco-friendly reasons at higher level.

MANAGERIAL IMPLICATIONS
1. Out of the sample surveyed 50% were purchasers of natural personal care products, so emphasis should be given for creating awareness and usage of natural personal care product. 2. Tooth paste and Bath soap were most widely used product categories, but on other product categories there was minimal usage or no usage focus should be on developing communication program for creating awareness and usage. 3. As found out by previous study of Clare D Souza, Mehdi Taghian Rajiv Kosla ,2007 this study also confirms purchase reasons of natural personal care products is not related to income. Previous studies had found green product purchasers are young in this study also maximum number of respondents purchasing natural personal care products belong to 20 to 30 age group but reason for purchasing natural personal care product does not depend on age. Education level of respondents influences the purchase reason of natural personal care products. Companies for immediate increase in sales should focus on young and educated people, government and natural personal care companies should focus on educating other groups for increasing sales in long run. 4. Manufacturers can promote their products using eco-friendliness as USP(Unique selling proposition) as majority of respondents have stated eco-friendliness and saves earth as the reason for

purchasing natural personal care products. This angle is not explored by any natural personal care and home care manufacturers till now in India. 5. Purchasers of natural personal care products will augment consumption if Quantity discount is given by manufacturers. 6. Non-purchasers are willing to buy eco-friendly variant of their same brand if introduced in bath soap and shampoo categories. Normal manufacturers of personal care and home care products should focus on bath soap and shampoo product categories to introduce eco-friendly variant of their brands. 7. Among Non-purchasers Rs.30,000 & above income group are majorly willing to purchase ecofriendly variant so this group should be targeted initially by normal manufacturers of personal care products to introduce eco-friendly variant.

CONCLUSIONS
The research paper had articulated the imperativeness of going green in present global warming scenario. The study reveals awareness should be created for natural personal care products and shows there is market opportunity for natural personal care products if introduced by commercial or normal

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manufacturers of personal care products. Thus the objectives set forth for the study had been analyzed and results interpreted.

REFERENCES
BOOKS 1. hilip kotler, Kevin lane keller, Abraham koshy, Mithileshwar Jha (2009), Marketing Management A South Asian Perspective. India:Dorling Kindersley(India)Pvt. Ltd. 2. 3. acquelyn A.Ottman(1998) , Green Marketing opportunity for Innovation, NTC Business Books oof Man woody(2008), Climate change what is your business strategy?, Harvard Business Press.

JOURNALS 1. Ken peattie & Andrew cane (2005),Qualitative Marketing Research: An International Journal, Vol 8, Pg 357-370 2. 3. 4. Nancy jeffries (2007), Business Strategy and Environment, Vol 10 Pg 187-199 Erdman (2008), Brian (2008), Is Green Really Your Color?, Brandweek, Vol. 49 (5), 02/04, 18. Chitra, 2007, In Search of the Green Consumers: A Perceptual Study, Journal of Services Research, Vol. 7, 173-191. 5. 6. Peattie, (2001), Business Strategy and Environment 10, Page 187-199 Clare D Souza, Mehdi Taghian Rajiv Kosla ,2007 Journal of Targeting, Measurement and Analysis for Marketing, Vol 15, pg 69-78 7. Fryxell and Lo,2003 Fryxell , G . and Lo , C . ( 2003 ) The influence of environmental knowledge and values on managerial behaviours on behalf of the environment: An empirical examination of managers in China , Journal of Business Ethics , Vol. 46 , No. 1 , pp. 45 50 . 8. Roberts, 1996 Roberts , J . ( 1996 ) Green consumers in the 1990s: Profi le and implications for advertising, Journal of Business Research , Vol. 36, pp. 217231. 9. Anne Marie Todd, Fall 2004, Ethics and Environment ABI/Inform Global, Pg 86

10. De Guzman, Dorris (2010),ICIS Chemical Business, Pg 28 11. Mintel (2008),The second Green Consumer Group, London 12. The Boston Consulting Group (Manget 2009) NEWPAPERS The Hindu WEBSITES: 1. www.greenbiz.com 2. www.greeneconomypost.com