PRODUCT PACKAGING INFORMATION AND CONSUMER PREFERENCE FOR NON-ACHOLIC BEVERAGES IN PORT HARCOURT, NIGERIA.

Abstract

The general objective of this study was to determine the extent to which nutritional Information relates to consumer patronage. Other specific purposes were to determine the influence content information, health benefit information and nutritional value benefit information on product preference, Repeat Purchase and brand loyalty respectively. The survey design method was employed as it is seen as a guide used in collecting and analyzing data from the Pabod Breweries and Nigerian Bottling Company (NBC), Pot Harcourt. The population for the study consisted of 300 employees of Pabod Breweries Pic, Oginigba, and NBC Trans Amadi Industrial Layout, Port Harcourt. Of this figure, 50 were management staff. While the remaining 250 were the production and distribution workers, the management staff consists of the Directors, managers, accountants, supervisors and quality control experts. The sample size for this research consisted of 10% of the research population. Specifically, the sample size for the study will consist of 30 respondents that will be selected, randomly. The simple random sampling technique was adopted so as to obtain diverse opinions about the subject matter. The research instrument used for this study was a structured questionnaire and secondary data. The simple percentage was used to analyze the research questions while the chi-square statistical tool was used to test the hypotheses of this study. It was found that sugar content information, health benefit Information and Nutritional Value information has significant influence on product preference, Consumer's repeated purchases and Brand loyalty respectively. It was concluded that Label information plays an essential role for the consumers, dealers and retailers in the marketing programs. Label information generates large preference and by using information on the label of the products sales can be increased. Various label method are used by the marketers in order to offer customers an additional incentive to purchase their products. It was then recommended amongst others that label Information should be adopted by all Breweries in Nigeria. Its elements should be made more transparent as to bring about more confidence in the mind of investors and customers and that firms should endeavor to train or retrain staff on the knowledge of product information.