CONSUMERS’ ATTITUDES TOWARD THE PACKAGING OF STAPLE COMMODITIES FROM TWO COMPANIES IN LAGOS STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

In Lagos State today, product packaging has come to play a more important role as a brand communication vehicle. Little or no research has been carried out within this area of study “assessing consumers’ attitudes toward staple commodities in Nigeria” and hence the purpose of this thesis is to provide a better understanding of the graphic qualities that enhances product packaging and consequently influence consumers’ attitudes or repel them. The points of focus are how the package design elements (colour, picture, size and shape, information and label, technology, lettering and design layout) influence consumers’ attitudes toward staple commodities. The study is a descriptive survey using a structured questionnaire that elicited responses from the respondents within Lagos State, the respondents are made up of consumers of staple commodities produced by Unilever and PZ Cussons Nigeria Plc. Structured questionnaires were administered to 204 consumers of products from the two selected companies in Lagos State and all were returned representing 100% of the total administered. The respondents were selected using random sampling technique and oral interaction preceded questionnaire administration. The responses of the respondents on the questionnaire based on their attitudes toward the packaging of the selected staple commodities were analysed using mode, frequency, and percentages. Inferential statistic using Chi square was used in analyzing the two hypotheses to ascertain if there is significant difference and relationship. The findings and conclusions of this study indicate that; packaging with its entire attendant element plays a great role in determining consumers’ choice of staple commodities. The attitude of consumers toward staple commodities in Lagos State are mostly influenced by the information and label on the package followed by colour, picture, size and shape, technology, layout of design and lastly the lettering. Product packaging of staple commodities influence consumers’ acceptance mostly through communication of aesthetics and functionalism, consumers will readily purchase or develop a positive attitude toward products with packages that are appealing, eye-catching and functional in use. Consumers in Lagos State would want to purchase more of products from Unilever Nigeria Plc. because of their packaging. The study recommends that companies should adopt the factors that have great influence on consumer's perception of product quality as an incentive to consumers to choose their product. Packaging should play the lead role among the product related strategies in fashioning out a marketing strategy for staple commodities. Companies and marketers should learn more about the attributes that consumers seeks to get in their products through regular polls of consumers, consumers' compliments or suggestions.