Soteropolitano Consumer Behavior: An Approach to Quantitative Analysis of Groups of Reference and Attributes Influencing the Purchase of Soft Drinks

Abstract

In a survey conducted by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) (2010), the Northeast region of Brazil configured as the lowest per capita consumers of soda as compared to other regions in the country; and the state of Bahia was in 6TH place among the northeastern states. Thus, Salvador (Bahia) is in the ranking of the capitals that least consumes this kind of drink. In a literature review, Souki, Christino, and Pereira (2005), show that, despite the economic importance of the industry of soft drinks in Brazil, there are rarely scientific incursions on the behavior of consumers of these products, leaving us with little information about this theme. From that, the present study was developed with the objective of understanding and characterizing the behavior of consumer purchasing “soteropolitano” of soft drinks, identifying their consumption habits and decisions that are taken at the time of purchase of the product, the reference groups, and the attributes considered important in their purchase decision. For both, a descriptive survey was carried out, with quantitative variables, totaling 429 personal interviews in different neighborhoods of Salvador, in places with a large flow of people, such as educational institutions and public spaces. It was found that most of the interviewees choose which soft drink to buy based on their experiences. We did observe a mild influence of characteristics of groups on the decision to purchase the product. However, in relation to the attributes of the soft drink, it was found that the flavor, the brand, and price are the attributes considered most decisive by interviewees in their purchase decision.