Soft Drink Market Analysis And Survey Results At USC

1. What proportions of the students in your sample are local and what proportion are international?
2. What is the relationship between price and average quantity consumed by students?
3. What are the most popular and least popular soft drinks among students?
4. How loyal are students to their brand? (Do students change their preference when they receive a 25% or 40% discount on their preferred drink?)
5. How does the demand (price-quantity relationship) of international students differ from that of local students?
6. What are the most and least popular drinks among local students? How does this compare with the preferences of the international student?
7. How likely is it that the student will choose soft drink (Pepsi, Coke etc.) as their first preference? Provide 95% confident interval estimates and interpret your results

This study is about finding out current market of soft drinks at the University. USC is one of the leading universities attended by many students each day on week days. Core purpose of this study and data analysis is to determine the soft drink sale and students’ soft drink market at this educational campus. Generally, market of soft drinks is calculated in terms of 375ml cans. All the information has been selected through survey and data collection process. Since conducting survey with all the students is not possible a random sample of 100 students has been selected. Therefore, it has been decided that only the BAC21 students must be surveyed and asked questions. Though it has been decided that which division of students will be survey and interviewed, selection of the sample size and data collection method are based on other theories and models also (Taylor et al., 2015). During the sample selection probability sampling method has been implemented to select the 100 respondents. On the other hand, field survey will be effective for achieving the answers from the students and there is a need of direct interaction with the students having soft drinks at USC. Therefore, Primary data analysis method is considered as appropriate for survey. On the other hand, it has been identified that only the quantitative data collection and analysis process would be implemented in this study (Lewis,  2015). These information together withstand how the sample and data analysis have been decided for this study.

The primary data collection process has been conducted through designing a preferred questionnaire containing 7 questions. All the questions along with analysis of are listed below.

1. What proportions of the students in your sample are local and what proportion are international?

Table 1: Calculations of international and local students

(Source: Created by the learner)

Analysis: From the above analysis, it has been identified that majority of students attend the University on week days are local students. Around 60% of the students out of 100 respondents are local students. On the other hand, 40 % students are international students.

2. What is the relationship between price and average quantity consumed by students?

Table 2: Relationship estimation between price and average quantity consumed by students

(Source: Created by the learner)

Analysis: “quantity demanded” is a term that suggests total amount of sales or products consumed at a given time (Christopher, 2016). The quantity demand has a relationship with the price level of the products. Current analysis has been pointed out the fact that development of price rates have an impact on the product consumption rates also. From the above survey, it has been underlined that if the price level of soft drinks are low, quantity consumption rate among students generally develop. Around 65 % of students have accounted for high quantity consumption due to low price. On the other hand, 35% of respondents have answered to low quantity consumption due high price rates.

3. What are the most popular and least popular soft drinks among students?

Survey Results

Table 3: Calculation of least popular and most popular soft drinks

(Source: Created by the learner)

Analysis: From the above survey, it has been identified that among the available soft drinks in the university premises, diet-cola, Coca Cola and Diet Pepsi have the place in most popular soft drinks. It has been identified that demand of Diet Cola is around 30% and demand of Coca Cola, and Diet Pepsi is 20% respectively among the international and local students.

4. How loyal are students to their brand? (Do students change their preference when they receive a 25% or 40% discount on their preferred drink?)

Table 4: Responses on loyalty to brands of soft drinks

(Source: Created by the learner)  

Analysis: From the above analysis, it has been identified that loyalty towards soft drink brands depends on several matters. It has been identified that 50% of the respondents have accounted that there is a high to moderate chance of brand choices. On the other hand, around 30% of the responses have nodded to the fact that due to many reasons, offers on soft drinks, price levels and others have an impact on the brand choices of them.

5. How does the demand (price-quantity relationship) of international students differ from that of local students?

Table 5: Demand variations of soft drinks among local and international student

(Source: Created by the learner) 

Analysis: The above survey results have stated the fact that demand of soft drinks among the local students and international students have varied from each other. Around 70% of the respondents out of total 100 respondents have accounted for the fact that local students are more prone to drinking soft drinks and 30% of the international students are accustomed to drink soft drinks.

6. What are the most and least popular drinks among local students? How does this compare with the preferences of the international student?

Table 6: Calculations of least and most popular drinks among local students

(Source: Created by the learner)

Analysis:  The above survey has described the fact that Coca Cola and Diet Cola are most popular among the local students. This demand is not similar with the choices of international students. Around 30% of the respondents have said that they prefer Coca Cola and approximately 20% of the respondents usually prefer drinking Diet Cola. Results have been exhibited the fact that local students are more attracted towards the popular brands and their availability in the market. Availability of the most popular brands listed in the above table in the country as well as educational premises are high. Thus, they are popular among the local students.

7. How likely is it that the student will choose soft drink (Pepsi, Coke etc.) as their first preference? Provide 95% confident interval estimates and interpret your results.

Table 7: Responses regarding selection of soft drinks

(Source: Created by the learner)

Analysis: From the above analysis and survey results, it have been identified that most of the respondents prefer soft drinks as their first preference. Out of total number of respondents, around 40%  students have nodded that they are habituated and prefer soft drinks over any other types of drinks. On the other hand, 30% of the respondents out of 100 respondents also said the same thing. They are also prone to select soft drinks over any other types of drinks. Other groups are comparatively low in responding to the answers. Around 15 % of the respondents out of 100 respondents have said that they also prefer other types of drinks over soft drinks. This analysis has resulted to the fact that soft drinks are more popular than other  drinks.

Analysis of Survey Results

Above survey results and questions have documented various facts about the soft drink sale and preferences of soft drinks among the students. Around fifty percent of the responses are accounted as positive. The behaviours and preferences of both local and international students in the aforesaid University are accounted effectively. The soft drink consumption rates among students are quite good. They are attracted towards the brand value (Deliens et al., 2015). Therefore, companies and market players in the soft drink industry should take care about their brand value. On the other hand, consumption rate of soft drinks among students also depend on the price variety. They are prone to switch brands of drinks if they get interesting offers on the daily beverages. On the other hand, from the above analysis, it could be said that choice of soft drinks among local and international students also varies. International students prefer Diet soft drinks whereas the local students chose the usual soft drinks. This is due to the fact that choices and drinking habits of local students are influenced by the preferences of major popularity of the country. Companies should take care of the healthy habits and nutritious drinks and their availability in the University premises (Schneider, 2016). They should provide offers on the healthy soft drinks so that students get attracted towards them and purchase them.

In this way, sale and demand of the healthy soft drinks could develop in the future. All the results have been calculated through proper student numbers and their responses. On the other hand, through this survey consumption rates and demand variables of soft drinks have been successfully identified, which show the fact that pricing strategy and advertisement strategies are one of the important factors to increase sale of products and services. Validity of the research in survey process relates to the extent at which measurements involve in the process are right. According to the sampling validity process it could be said that a specific pattern has been identified for the entire sample design and sample number of the students as well as the size of the sample also has been identified through specific methods of sampling (Leung, 2015). All the analysis and results are valid as they are as documented as per the responses of the students surveyed.

Reference list 

Christopher, M., 2016. Logistics & supply chain management. Pearson UK.

Deliens, T., Clarys, P., De Bourdeaudhuij, I. and Deforche, B., 2015. Correlates of university students’ soft and energy drink consumption according to gender and residency. Nutrients, 7(8), pp.6550-6566.

Leung, L., 2015. Validity, reliability, and generalizability in qualitative research. Journal of family medicine and primary care, 4(3), p.324.

Lewis, S., 2015. Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches. Health promotion practice, 16(4), pp.473-475.

Schneider, M.J., 2016. Introduction to public health. Jones & Bartlett Publishers.

Taylor, S.J., Bogdan, R. and DeVault, M., 2015. Introduction to qualitative research methods: A guidebook and resource. John Wiley & Sons.