A Study on Consumer Preference towards Instant Food Products

Food is a basic need which is to be fulfilled for everyone's survival. Previously every food was prepared by the people in their home itself. But in the present fast moving world time has become precious, many have changed their food habits and shifted to a number of instant food products. Instant food products play a very significant role in the present day situation where both men and women are employed. Since the demand for instant food products are picking up, number of manufacturers entered in to the field of instant food products with different brand names. Thus the consumers can choose any brand of their own choice. In this research paper an attempt is made to ascertain the consumers' preference towards instant food products. For analytical purposes, statistical tools such as chi-square test and factor analysis are used. The results reveal the fact that there is no association between occupation, family monthly income, family type and spouse employment and the monthly expenditure on ready-to-eat instant food products. Further the factor analysis indicates that packing, hygiene, societal influence and influence of advertisement play an important role in forcing the customers to buy the instant food products.