Perceived impact of packaging on alcohol consumption: A case of the University of Nairobi students
Abstract
This study sought to find out what, if any, impact packaging has on consumption of alcohol amongst university students.
The study used survey research design. Questionnaires were distributed to
all the fourteen faculties of the University of Nairobi, and sought to gain insights
from an equal number of females and males. The questionnaire was divided into
four sections, namely demographics, consumption of alcohol, effects of alcohol
consumption and packaging preferences. These responses were the foundation for
drawing the following conclusions.
A large number of students were prone to buying and consuming sachets
of alcohol before they were banned by the government. This was due to the
affordability and portability attributed to sachets and other small packages in
general. This led to an increase in alcohol consumption amongst the students as
they could easily purchase, hide the sachets and drink them either in class or in
many other unexpected places at any time.
The report recommended continued fight against the consumption of
alcohol amongst students. The banning of the small sachets has been successful,
but peer pressure amongst the first and second year students are a cause for
concern.
The study was limited in that it had a lot of respondents being first and
second year students. It would have been great to get more responses from third,
fourth and fifth year students who are more mature and are already used to
campus life.
The study recommends for future research, the impact of packaging on
alcohol consumption amongst the mature working class population.
Publisher
University of Nairobi School Of Business, University Of Nairobi