Faster lifestyle, long travel for employment, different time schedule of work, nature of life partners

employability, changes in work culture all drives the Consumers to prefer ready to cook food category of

products. Many Consumers prefer to eat instant and semi-cooked food products too. Food products like readily

made Parotta and chappathi, Rava Dosa mix, Upma mix, Vada batter, Idly and Dosa batter, Instant Noodles along

Respondents.

Batter Consumers, Ready to Cook, Ready to Eat.

Indian Food Industry India is second largest producer of food next to China, and has the potential of being the

biggest with the food and agricultural sector. The total food production in India is likely to double in the next ten

years and there is an opportunity for large investments in food and food processing technologies. The Indian

food market is estimated at over US$ 182 billion, and accounts for about two thirds of the total Indian retail

market. Further, according to consultancy firm McKinsey & Co, the retail food sector in India is likely to grow

from around US$ 70 billion in 2008 to US$ 150 billion by 2025, accounting for a large chunk of the world food

industry, which would grow to US$ 400 billion from US$ 175 billion by 2025. The history of Indian Food has

The Objective of the article is to highlight the influence of Age and Income on select study variables like Product

Perception, Brand Perception, Pricing, Convenience, Promotion and Packaging among the batter users in

Chennai city.

reviewed the recent trends in ready to cook or eat food products,

in this review they studied that, ready to eat food is category of food which comprised packed food products

used to direct consumption where ready to cook food are prepared with very little extra efforts. Fruits, vegetables,

cereals, pulses, meat, fish are major category of food which used for making ready to eat and ready to cook.

They concluded that, these types of food are healthy, convenient and accessible but excess intake can be harmful

respondents are willing to make recommendation about MTR Foods.

the main of this study is to gain insights and understandings the growing market of

Ready to cook food and its demand in Bangladesh which may also establish priorities for further research. The

primary data is obtained by administering survey method, guided by a questionnaire to the people we will select

randomly which will be both physical and social media based. The secondary data is the review of articles which

have been collected on the topic from journals mentioned below. The survey is made with the sample size of 90

people. There is also an online survey executed to gather more insight. The sampling technique used simple

random sampling. Through this study they found out that consumers are still not convinced about the fact that

RTC foods are healthy or not. The consumers of Bangladesh had a sentiment towards the home cook food and

them preferred to have home cooked food as the culture established here like that way.

45 years (Mean = 3.577) have the most favourable perception of batter products, followed by those below 31

years (Mean = 3.359). These groups tend to hold positive views about the quality, freshness, taste, hygiene, and

texture of ready-made batter. Their higher mean scores suggest that younger and middle-aged consumers are

more quality-conscious and experimental, appreciating the convenience and consistency offered by branded

batter products. In contrast, respondents aged 46–60 years (Mean = 3.112) and above 60 years (Mean = 2.970)

show relatively lower mean scores, indicating more neutral or cautious attitudes. The Post Hoc Bonferroni test

confirms that the significant differences exist between the younger groups (Below 31, 31–45, and 46–60 years)

and the Above 60 years category. This suggests that older consumers are less inclined to view batter products

positively, possibly due to traditional cooking preferences, lower trust in packaged foods, or health-related

apprehensions. Overall, the findings imply that product perception varies notably across age groups, with

messages emphasizing freshness, hygiene, and quality consistency, while educational campaigns or trust-

building strategies may be needed to increase acceptance among senior consumers.

The ANOVA result examining the influence of age on consumers’ brand perception toward batter products

indicates a statistically significant difference among the four age groups (F = 3.490, p = 0.043). This finding

suggests that consumers’ perception of brand-related aspects — such as brand loyalty, reputation,

trustworthiness, and familiarity — varies notably with age. The mean scores reveal that respondents below 31

years (Mean = 3.510) and those aged 31–45 years (Mean = 3.294) exhibit more favourable opinions toward

branded batter products compared to older consumers. Younger consumers tend to be more brand-conscious and

trusting of established names, associating brands with assured quality, hygienic production, and modern

than brand image or advertising appeal. They might also perceive traditional or homemade batter as more

authentic and trustworthy than commercially branded options. Overall, the results indicate that younger

consumers place greater emphasis on brand image, visibility, and reputation, while older age groups exhibit

lower engagement with branding factors. Therefore, marketers should focus on digital and brand-driven

communication strategies targeting younger audiences while simultaneously implementing trust-building and

assurance-oriented messaging for older consumers to enhance brand acceptance across age segments.

The ANOVA result examining the influence of age on consumers’ opinion toward pricing of batter products

reveals a statistically significant difference among the four age groups (F = 5.376, p = 0.020). This indicates that

consumers’ perception of pricing including views on affordability, value for money, and willingness to pay for

quality varies significantly based on age. The mean values show that respondents below 31 years (Mean = 3.828)

have the most favourable perception of pricing, followed by those aged 31–45 years (Mean = 3.382) and 46–60

years (Mean = 3.345). This suggests that younger and middle-aged consumers generally view batter products as

reasonably priced and offering good value for money. They are also more open to paying a premium for

convenience, hygiene, and consistent quality, as reflected in the questionnaire items emphasizing “value for

money” and “willingness to pay more for higher quality.” Conversely, the above 60 years group records the

lowest mean score (Mean = 2.854), indicating a relatively less favourable opinion of pricing. The Post Hoc

Bonferroni test confirms that the significant difference lies between the Below 31 years and Above 60 years

groups. This pattern suggests that older consumers are more price-sensitive, possibly due to fixed incomes or

a slightly higher perception of promotional effectiveness, followed by the 31–45 years (Mean = 2.760), 46–60

years (Mean = 2.713), and below 31 years (Mean = 2.695) groups. However, these variations are not large enough

results (F = 4.578, p = 0.019) indicate significant differences in product perception across income levels. The

Posthoc Bonferroni test shows that higher-income groups (Rs. 75,001–1,00,000 and above Rs. 1 lakh) differ

higher-income consumers place greater emphasis on brand reputation, trustworthiness, and loyalty, consistent

with questionnaire statements such as “I prefer buying trusted brands” and “Brand influences my purchase

decisions.” Lower-income consumers may focus more on affordability and essential functionality rather than

brand prestige. Hence, Income significantly influences brand perception, with higher-income consumers being

more brand-conscious than lower-income groups.

Pricing perception involves awareness of product cost and perceived value. Mean scores reveal a clear trend: the

lowest-income group (less than Rs. 25,001, Mean = 2.740, SD = 1.348) shows the least concern for pricing value

in terms of purchasing decisions, while higher-income groups, especially Rs. 75,001–1,00,000 (3.600, SD =

1.449) and more than Rs. 1 lakh (3.627, SD = 1.337), perceive pricing more actively. Intermediate groups: Rs.

25,001–50,000 (3.331, SD = 1.382), Rs. 50,001–75,000 (3.415, SD = 1.358). ANOVA results (F = 4.382, p =

0.021) indicate significant differences, with Posthoc Bonferroni test showing that higher-income groups differ

significantly from the lowest-income group. This indicates that higher-income consumers evaluate price in

relation to quality and value for money, reflecting statements like “I compare prices before purchase” or “I

consider whether the product is worth the cost.” Lower-income consumers may be constrained by affordability

and thus focus on price minimally in terms of value analysis. Therefore, Income significantly affects pricing

75,000 (2.841, SD = 0.330), Rs. 75,001–1,00,000 (2.817, SD = 0.355), more than Rs. 1 lakh (2.774, SD = 0.347).

ANOVA results (F = 0.286, p = 0.887) indicate no significant difference, suggesting that convenience is

perceived similarly across all income groups. All consumers, regardless of income, value accessibility,

availability, and time-saving aspects in their purchase decisions, consistent with statements such as “I prefer

activities. Consumers across income levels seem to consider statements like “I am influenced by discounts or

promotional offers” in a comparable manner. Therefore, Promotion perception is consistent across income

groups, with no meaningful difference.

Packaging perception includes aesthetics, protection, and information display. Mean scores: less than Rs. 25,001

(2.726, SD = 0.567), Rs. 25,001–50,000 (2.801, SD = 0.606), Rs. 50,001–75,000 (2.855, SD = 0.621), Rs.

Educational campaigns or trust-building strategies may be needed to increase acceptance among senior

consumers. Marketers should focus on digital and brand-driven communication strategies targeting younger

audiences while simultaneously implementing trust-building and assurance-oriented messaging for older

consumers to enhance brand acceptance across age segments. Age is not a differentiating factor in shaping

opinions toward the packaging of batter products, as all consumers equally value packaging as a basic quality

indicator. Income significantly affects pricing perception, with higher-income consumers paying more attention

to cost-value considerations than lower-income consumers.