Customer Research In India: "Will It Make My Hair Fall Out?"

For decades, consumer goods companies have encouraged low-income consumers to purchase their personal care products in sachets. It's been an effective campaign and today they account for most of personal care category sales in low-income countries.

Consumers get the benefit of a trusted brand at a very affordable price point, typically one, two or four rupees each, that's about 1p, 2p or 4p.

Our goal is to match or beat this price point but do so with a refill-reuse solution. Technically this is a challenge, but a bigger obstacle may well be entrenched consumer behaviours.

Would consumers be amenable to trying a different solution? Would they switch brands as well as format? And if so, what mattered most to them, price, quality, fragrance? Lots of unknowns.

We conducted a range of consumer interviews and discussions to find out.

Encouragingly, we learned that while low-income consumers are brand aware and brand loyal, they would be prepared to switch and trial a new product in a new format given sufficient incentive. Result!

Amusingly, the two main worries about using a new shampoo are that it would stop the shine or make their hair fall out!