Introduction:

The word ‘Biscuit’ is derived from the Latin words ‘Bis’ (meaning ‘twice’) and ‘Coctus’ (meaning cooked or baked).

The word ‘Biscotti’ is also the generic term for cookies in Italian. Back then, biscuits were unleavened, hard and thin wafers which, because of their low water content, were ideal food to store.

As people started to explore the globe, biscuits became the ideal travelling food since they stayed fresh for long periods. The seafaring age, thus, witnessed the boom of biscuits when these were sealed in airtight containers to last for months at a time.

Hard track biscuits (earliest version of the biscotti and present-day crackers) were part of the staple diet of English and American sailors for many centuries. In fact, the countries which led this seafaring charge, such as those in Western Europe, are the ones where biscuits are most popular even today. Biscotti is said to have been a favorites of Christopher Columbus who discovered America!

Many factors influence the consumption of the biscuits in the social market of the country as these are the world food this means it is valued and consumed everywhere. Thus cultural, social, personal factors also influence  the consumption practice of the consumers  in the market.

CULTURAL Factor Influence the Consumer Behavior:

Culture is the fundamental determinant of a person’s wants and behavior. The culture value is different from person in different part of the country and thus it is also influenced by the living standard of the people. Different culture give rise to different demand. But biscuit market is not much effected by any cultural factor and thus not create much influence in market  for the product.

Cultural factor such as some people does not consume EGGS and they avoid having some biscuits having eggs in it and this influences the consumer behavior for the particular product in the market. As there is a great difference between the rural and the urban sector so the point like non vegetarian create a great difference in the consumer behavior.

India has traditionally been an oral collectivistic culture hence in a tribal society,

communication is primarily oral. The villagers are more conservative buyers than their urban counterparts. Their desire to innovate with new product is restricted.

social class structures are rigid & formalized, the fact must be remembered that

feudal systems are still prevalent in Rural India.

SOCIAL Factor Influences the Consumer Behavior:

Consumer’s behavior is highly influenced by such social factor as reference groups, family, and social roles and statuses. same is the case with the biscuit industries as there sales and buying power of the consumer is not too much affected by all the factors.

Reference group: a group of person those who have direct or indirect influence on the buying behavior of the consumer. Many groups are there such as primary including Family, Friends, neighbors and co-workers they leave heavy impact as they are close to the consumer.

Secondary group includes religious and professional groups they are not in continuous interaction with them. They can hardly create any difference on the consumer behavior.

For eg: if one of our friend is having better taste and healthy biscuit it will surely ask us to have it. As Britannia’s Marigold are good in taste and healthy too so family and friends will surely influence the buying capacity of the consumer.

PERSONAL Factor Influencing Consumer Behavior:

A consumer’s decisions are also influenced by personal characteristics. These includes the age and the  stages in life cycle, economic and occupational circumstances, personality and  life style of the person.

Age and the Stages in life cycle :

The elder in the family will go for biscuits like MARIGOLD as they are having less sugar and thus have the medical value but the kids in the family goes for the CREAM TREAT  because it have the jelly and thus give a better taste to the pallet and a colorful presence which attract them to have it.

There is different taste and need of the different members in the family. Age is the main factor which can create a great difference in the buying power of the consumer.

Occupation and economic factor:

Economic factor also influences consumption patterns. If the one is earning average amount then he will not going to spend 10 to 15 Rs just for the biscuits like HIDE and SEEK or like BRITANNIA TREAT and thus they will go for the biscuit of the reasonable price of Rs 4 to 5 like PARRLE or TIGER .

So economic factor leads the major shift in the buying power of the consumer and thus leading to change in the market supply of the product.

Personality and self concept:

Personality also have the influencing change in the buying behavior of the consumer. Personality is influenced by the relative consistent and enduring responses to environmental stimuli. If one who care for himself will certainly go for the FAT FREE biscuits which will help him to maintain his physical personality and thus help them to maintain there personal and distinguish image. Brand personality also matter as SUNFEAST brand which is endorse by SHARUKH KHAN is having good brand image and people go for it. Same is the case with BRITANNIA TIGER which is endorse by SACHIN TENDULKAR  and the M.S. DHONI is increase the brand personality as they are common amongst the people so they go for the products from the BRITANNIA company as they are promoted by the many celebrities.

LIFESTYLE and VALUES:

Lifestyle is a person’s pattern of living in the world as expressed in activities, interests, and opinions. Many people avoid having GLUCOSE BISCUITS as they may not suits to the lifestyle of there family and thus consumption is adversely effected as the consumption of such biscuit decreases in the higher lifestyle families.