Sainsbury's: Consumer Behavior, Buying Patterns & Business Growth

This report evaluates consumer behavior and buying patterns at Sainsbury's, a leading UK retailer, to inform business development decisions. It uses primary data collected through questionnaires to assess consumer preferences, brand perception, and the impact of promotional efforts. The analysis includes graphical representation of survey responses and calculation of statistical measures. Secondary data is used to compare Sainsbury's market share, gross profit margin, and sales turnover with competitors like Tesco and Morrison's. The report concludes with findings, discussions, and recommendations aimed at enhancing Sainsbury's market position and customer satisfaction. Desklib provides access to similar reports and resources for students.

Title “Evaluation of consumer behaviour and their
buying pattern to make the decision for further business
development”

Executive Summary:
This research study will revolve around UK’s largest retailing organisation Sainsbury and its
decision-making process in business operation. The Sainsbury Supermarket is the second
largest retail supply chain with 600 stores across the globe. This Business Decision Making
Project is based on Sainsbury’s vision that is related to “Evaluation of consumer behaviour
and their buying pattern to make the decision for further business development”. This
research project will get to know about market behaviour, consumer preferences, and their
buying habits to make company’s promotional efforts more strong and effective in order to
make right and effective decisions for business expansion and development process. Being a
part of the market research team of Sainsbury Supermarket; a business research report will be
produced. In regards to meet survey objectives and monitor customers’ expectations and
market trends, a market research team of Sainsbury will conduct a survey in Questionnaire
will be prepared using primary and secondary data to know buying pattern of consumers and
promotional efforts of supermarkets. A proper assessment will be made to ascertain the
satisfaction level of customers in the market. The further comparison will be made between
Sainsbury and its market rivals such as Tesco, Morrison in order to review customer’s habit
and changes in buying pattern based on store reputation, product and service quality and
availability of preferable products in the market. Survey methods will be based on the
quantitative and qualitative analysis. In the end, the proper recommendation will be made in
the context of Sainsbury market shares and market evaluation with the help of survey team.

Contents
Executive Summary:..................................................................................................................2
Introduction:...............................................................................................................................4
Task 1.........................................................................................................................................5
1. Survey plan:.......................................................................................................................5
2. Survey methodologies:.......................................................................................................6
3. Questionnaire making for identifying business problem:..................................................9
4. Collection of data with questionnaire (at least 15 responses)..........................................12
Data Analysis:..........................................................................................................................13
1. Primary data: Graphical presentation and interpretation of data: -..................................13
Task 2.......................................................................................................................................22
2. Secondary data analysis with graphical presentation:......................................................22
1. Market share comparison:.............................................................................................24
2. Gross profit margin:......................................................................................................24
3. Sales turnover:...............................................................................................................25
Findings, discussion and recommendation:.............................................................................27
Conclusion:..............................................................................................................................28
References:...............................................................................................................................29
Appendices:..............................................................................................................................30

Introduction:
The major aim of preparing this report is to measure and evaluate the market to anticipate and
review customers’ needs and evaluate Sainsbury’s future growth. Sainsbury is the second
biggest company in UK in retail sector that wants to know about customer’s choices and
buying pattern in order to meet survey objectives. A report will be prepared by survey team
in which proper knowledge about research analysis, objectives and recommendation will be
involved. In this survey analysis, proper data will be collected through primary data
collection methods. Questionnaire will be prepared with the help of sampling frame and
various survey methodologies then data will be collected by using questionnaire to
understand the responses of respondents. Analysis will be made through mean, median mode
and frequency distribution. Data presentation will be analysed through graphic presentation
using spreadsheets. Secondary data will be collected to compare and interpret the graph in the
context of supermarket stores including the detailing of market shares, gross profit margin
and sales turnover. Proper findings and discussion will be provided to make a beneficial
recommendation for Sainsbury Supermarket to understand market shares and buying a
pattern of customers.

Task 1
1. Survey plan:
Survey planning and strategies for analysis through collection of primary and secondary data
from consumers to understand their buying pattern and review market promotion in
supermarket.
Survey objectives:
The major aim or objectives of conducting this survey is to manage whole business analysis
of Sainsbury in order to get to know customers’ buying habits and behaviour for future
growth to make management liable and able to review and monitor market trends, choices of
consumers and business growth of Sainsbury.
Research techniques:
Various kinds of effective research methodologies will be used in this research project to
examine and evaluate decision-making process for further business development. Survey
methodologies will include a quantitative and qualitative pattern as research methods. The
questionnaire will be prepared to make effective responses from respondents in relation to
manage research and get to know their effective experiences with supermarkets. The
questionnaire will be used with the help of hypothetical facts, data and collection of
secondary data will be done to make a comparison between supermarket trends in order to
reach to reality and make a conclusion (Saxena, 2010).
Survey duration:
The survey will take around 5 weeks to understand and review the responses and experiences
of consumers in the context of the decision-making process for business expansion and
further development. Additional three weeks will take top review documents, making reports,
evaluating the scenario and producing feedback report to recommendation process.

2. Survey methodologies:
Research methodology procedure involves a number of acts and evaluation tactics to be
proposed. All research activities will be performed in the proper manner of timing to conduct
research.
Types of research:
The topic of the survey analysis is “Evaluation of consumer behaviour and their buying
pattern for business expansion and further development” in the context of Sainsbury. The
overall primary data will be collected from consumers, market, dealers of the company
performing in the retail market. The descriptive survey will allow meeting the requirement of
research (Paradigms, 2013).
Sources of Data:
Primary and secondary data will be used to meet research study purpose. Primary data will be
collected from consumers, market and dealers those working with Sainsbury Supermarket
and know the market trends. The secondary data will be collected and applied in regards of
making comparison among supermarket stores and in relation to Supermarket of Sainsbury.
The secondary data will show the sales comparison product wise, gross profit margin ratio to
make different suggestions to serve effective conclusion in relation to research study (Akhtar
et. al., 2016)
Primary data:
Primary data are those data that are applied or collected by survey teams and researchers to
make survey successful for the first time. In the collection of primary sources, researchers
collect data with the help of a questionnaire, interviews, observations, case studies, making
portfolio etc. in order to measure and make original effects in nature. Collection of primary
has many advantages.
Advantages:
1. Primary data are original and reliable in nature that represents the degree of accuracy at a
high level.
2. It can easily be collected from interviews, questionnaire, case studies and making portfolio
etc.

3. These are highly transparent, realistic and relevant in providing realistic reviews and facts
to the researchers (Dytham, 2011).
Secondary data:
Secondary data will be used in this survey to measure sales margin, gross margin ration
Sainsbury’s market trends in order to make comparison among supermarket stores.
Secondary data collection is optional methodologies in the survey which are categorised into
two forms: - internal and external phase of a collection of data (Sato, 2017). These can be
collected through TV, newspapers, social sites and information taken from other sources.
Advantages of Secondary data:
1. These are quite cheap and easy to be collected than primary data.
2. These secondary data can be easily assessable for work from the scholars across the globe
(Dytham, 2011).
Tools for the data collection:
1. Questionnaire:
Questionnaires are prepared by arranging a set of questions for asking lots of questions from
consumers, dealers and other respondents. In this survey, a questionnaire will be prepared to
take responses from people to know their reactions and views in a written form. It will be
useful in the evaluation of collected data through calculating mean, median & mode (Sansoni,
2011).
While collecting data it is essential to understand following things:
1. Collection of appropriate data.
2. Making facts comparable and amendment to research analysis.
3. Reducing bias information of the questionnaire and making review evaluation (Patten,
2016).
2. Sampling methods (Sampling frame):-
The research is the systematic process in which evaluation and survey would be made in an
effective manner to reach towards a conclusion in an effective manner. While conducting

research, the population is an element in which a large number of mass are included.
Sometimes collecting data would not be possible for everyone from the universe
(population). Sampling is the concept in which a specific representative object of a universe
for the aim would be selected as a sample to determine parameters or elements characteristics
from the whole universe in the research projects (Ralph, 2013).
For this survey sampling method would be used to meet research objectives. The stratified
random technique would be considered as the main element in this report to select and
collection of data through salesman, customers, and dealers working with Sainsbury
Supermarket. In this ransom sampling, individual consumers, dealers are eventually selected
from each store of Sainsbury to take reviews from them. They will have to make stratified
sampling randomly.

3. Questionnaire making for identifying the business problem:
Name: ---------------------
Address: ---------------------
Contact no.: ---------------------
Email address: -------------------
Optional question:
Describe: Evaluation of consumer behaviour and their buying pattern to make decision
for further business development.
1. Are you?
Female Male
2. In which age of bracket do you fall under?
15-18
19-25
26-39
41+
3. From where do you prefer your shopping?
Retail market
Online purchasing
Auctions
Local stores

4. Do brand image of the product impact in buying habits of consumers?
Yes
Never
Rarely
Sometimes
5. What do you prefer mostly while having shopping?
Brand value of the product
Competitive pricing strategies
Product service and usability
Product Quality
6. has buying behaviour of the consumer is changed due to changes in economy and lifestyle?
Yes
No
Rarely
Neutral
7. Do promotion efforts done by supermarkets affect buying behaviour and choices of the
consumer?
Always
Never

Sometimes
Rarely
8. You are among the......... when your favourite product enters the market?
First person to purchase
Higher majority of buyers
Last majority of buyers
Very last to purchase the product
9. Which kinds of facilities do you prefer the most while visiting retail stores?
Service Quality
Availability of product
Hygiene and cleanliness in the store
Pricing and discounting
10. What do you expect from supermarkets in their promotion efforts to meet consumer
satisfaction level?
Loyalty Programs
Attractive pricing strategies
Event sales
Sponsor and community partnerships

4. Collection of data with questionnaire (at least 15 responses)
Responses:
(At least 15)
Questions:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
Question 1 A A B A B A B A B B A B B A B
Question 2 A C B B A B A C D B C B C B D
Question 3 A C D A B D C B A A D A B D B
Question 4 A C D C A B C A A C B A D B A
Question 5 B C C C A B D A B D A A B C C
Question 6 C B A C B B A C D D A D A A A
Question 7 D D A C A B C C A B A A B A A
Question 8 A A A A A D D D A A C B C B A
Question 9 D A C A D D A A B A B A A C A
Question 10 A B D C B A B B A A C D B A B
Analysis: -
In the overall evaluation of survey after collecting data, it can be observed that data was
collected targeting 15 people out of total universe. Those respondents could be consumers,
dealers, workers or marketers who have worked with Sainsbury and have specific knowledge
of the market. Quantitative data collection method and stratified random sampling methods
have been chosen to make survey successful.