Food & Beverage Metal Cans Market Size

Food & Beverage Metal Cans Market Overview

The Food & Beverage Metal Cans Market size was valued at USD 52355.42 million in 2024 and is expected to reach USD 68316.02 million by 2033, growing at a CAGR of 3% from 2025 to 2033.

The food & beverage metal cans market is a pivotal segment within global packaging, witnessing considerable transformation due to changing consumer behaviors and industrial advancements. As of 2024, over 320 billion metal cans are consumed globally every year across food and beverage categories. Aluminum accounts for approximately 75% of these cans, with steel covering the remaining 25%. In the beverage industry alone, more than 180 billion aluminum cans are used annually for packaging carbonated soft drinks, energy drinks, beer, and ready-to-drink teas.

The food sector consumes over 140 billion cans annually, particularly for processed vegetables, soups, and meat products. Recyclability is a key strength of this market, as aluminum cans have a recycling rate of over 69% globally and over 92% in countries like Germany and Norway. The average weight of beverage cans has dropped from 16 grams in the 1990s to around 12.5 grams today due to lightweighting innovations. With growing focus on circular economy practices, over 50 countries now mandate extended producer responsibility for metal packaging. North America and Europe together account for more than 60% of the global consumption of food & beverage metal cans, making them leading contributors to packaging sustainability initiatives.

Key Findings

DRIVER: Increasing consumer preference for sustainable and recyclable packaging.

COUNTRY/REGION: United States leads in per capita aluminum can consumption with over 375 cans per person annually.

SEGMENT: Beverage industry dominates usage, accounting for over 56% of total metal can demand.

Food & Beverage Metal Cans Market Trends

The food & beverage metal cans market is evolving with a series of transformative trends influencing product development, distribution, and sustainability standards. Lightweighting continues to dominate innovation efforts. In 2023, average wall thickness of aluminum cans was reduced by 8% compared to 2020, leading to significant material savings. Decorative technology adoption has risen, with UV flexo printing for cans growing at over 10% annually in major markets. There is a noticeable shift towards resealable and multi-serve formats, especially in the beverage segment. Metal cans with easy-peel ends and dual-compartment formats are gaining popularity in the convenience food category, especially in Europe and North America.

Sustainability is driving over 65% of procurement decisions for metal packaging. In 2023, more than 55% of global canned beverage producers switched to using at least 40% post-consumer recycled aluminum. In the pet food sector, usage of stackable metal cans with resealable plastic lids increased by 15% in Western Europe. Ready-to-eat meals in metal trays with heat-sealable aluminum lids grew by 12% in Japan and South Korea. In India, food startups are increasingly adopting ring-pull cans for ready-to-eat curries and lentils. Beverage companies are actively shifting back from PET to aluminum cans, as seen with over 130 global drink brands replacing plastic bottles with metal packaging in 2023. E-commerce also plays a role, with protective metal packaging for gourmet and canned foods witnessing 18% growth in demand during the last 12 months.

Food & Beverage Metal Cans Market Dynamics

Market dynamics in the food & beverage metal cans market refer to the set of external and internal forces that influence the growth, stability, and direction of the industry over time. These dynamics include key drivers, restraints, opportunities, and challenges that affect manufacturing, consumption, innovation, and investment decisions.

DRIVER

Growing demand for sustainable, fully recyclable packaging

Consumer demand for sustainability is pushing both food and beverage brands to adopt metal cans over other forms of packaging. With aluminum cans being 100% recyclable and capable of returning to store shelves within 60 days, they outperform PET and glass in environmental metrics. Over 90% of beverage cans in Japan are recycled, while the U.S. achieved a recycling rate of 45% in 2023 for aluminum cans. The average recycled content in a European aluminum beverage can reached 55% in 2023. Beverage brands are increasingly marketing this attribute, with 1 in every 3 new launches in Europe highlighting recyclability on the label.

RESTRAINT

Availability and price volatility of raw materials

Aluminum and steel, the two core raw materials for can manufacturing, are prone to price volatility due to mining constraints, energy costs, and geopolitical tensions. In 2023, LME aluminum prices fluctuated between $2,150 and $2,700 per metric ton. Tinplate used in food cans also faced availability challenges due to reduced output from Southeast Asia and disruptions at European mills. As a result, the average cost of a 330ml can rose by 6.2% globally in 2023. Supply chain delays caused by energy rationing in China and shipping bottlenecks in the Suez Canal further restricted raw material availability for major can manufacturers.

OPPORTUNITY

Expansion of canned functional beverages and ready meals

The growing health and wellness movement has expanded opportunities for metal cans in functional drinks, including energy beverages, kombuchas, and vitamin-infused waters. In 2023, more than 28% of newly launched functional drinks were packed in aluminum cans. Additionally, the global ready-to-eat meals category is forecast to add over 40 million new consumers in Asia-Pacific by 2026. Metal cans remain the preferred format due to their long shelf life, safety, and heat resistance. Canned protein-rich meals such as beans, lentils, and tuna grew by 18% in Latin America in 2023. Small-scale regional brands in India, Thailand, and Nigeria are launching canned traditional dishes, signaling growing potential in niche ethnic offerings.

CHALLENGE

High energy requirements in manufacturing and recycling

Despite sustainability benefits, metal can production and recycling processes are energy-intensive. Producing 1 ton of virgin aluminum requires approximately 14,000 kWh of electricity. Although recycled aluminum requires only 5% of that energy, widespread collection infrastructure is lacking in many countries. Only 30% of African countries have formal aluminum recycling networks, limiting circularity benefits. The steel can industry also consumes about 1.5 GJ of energy per 1000 units produced. These figures make energy costs a crucial factor in plant location and expansion decisions. Regulatory pressure to shift to renewable energy further increases capital expenditure for can manufacturers.

Food & Beverage Metal Cans Market Segmentation

The food & beverage metal cans market is segmented by type and application. By type, it is categorized into three-piece cans and two-piece cans. By application, it includes the food industry, beverage industry, convenience food, and pet food.

By Type

Three-Piece Cans: Three-piece cans are made by rolling a rectangular sheet into a cylinder and welding the side seam, followed by attaching top and bottom ends. They are primarily used in the food sector, especially for soups, vegetables, and meat products. Over 90% of food cans used globally in 2023 were three-piece cans. They offer excellent sealing properties and are cost-effective for batch production. China produced over 45 billion three-piece food cans in 2023 alone, while the U.S. accounted for 18 billion units.
Two-Piece Cans: Two-piece cans are drawn and redrawn from a single aluminum sheet, offering seamless construction ideal for beverages. The global beverage industry used over 180 billion two-piece cans in 2023. These cans are lighter than three-piece versions and support high-speed filling lines, reaching speeds of up to 2,000 cans per minute. Brazil and Mexico are major producers of two-piece cans due to their aluminum smelting capacities and proximity to beverage bottling hubs.

By Application

Food Industry: Canned food remains a staple in developed markets. In 2023, over 100 billion food cans were sold globally. Canned vegetables accounted for 35% of this volume, followed by meat and seafood at 28%. Major consumers include the U.S., Germany, Japan, and France. In Southeast Asia, canned tropical fruits and soups are gaining traction.
Beverage Industry: This is the largest segment, consuming more than 56% of total metal can output. Beer and carbonated drinks lead consumption, with over 120 billion cans used for these categories in 2023. Specialty coffee drinks in cans grew by 16% in South Korea, while hard seltzers in North America contributed over 2 billion units.
Convenience Food: Single-serve canned meals and heat-and-eat dishes are growing rapidly. In the U.K., canned pasta meals rose by 22% in 2023. Easy-open lids and compact can sizes under 250ml are driving urban and student markets.
Pet Food: Canned pet food saw a 12% growth globally, with North America alone accounting for 6.7 billion units in 2023. Canned wet dog and cat foods offer premium formulations, with human-grade ingredients contributing to 28% of new launches.

Regional Outlook for the Food & Beverage Metal Cans Market

The global food & beverage metal cans market exhibits robust performance across developed and emerging economies due to its recyclability, safety, and long shelf-life properties.

North America

North America represents a mature market. The U.S. consumed over 100 billion beverage cans and 40 billion food cans in 2023. Canada’s beverage segment showed a 9% increase in aluminum can demand due to growth in functional beverages and ready-to-drink cocktails. Recycling rates in the U.S. for aluminum beverage cans surpassed 45%, with 4 million tons of metal packaging collected. New can plants launched in Kentucky and Ohio added over 3 billion units in annual production capacity in 2023.

Europe

Europe is a sustainability-driven market. Germany alone recycled over 95% of aluminum beverage cans in 2023. The U.K. used over 14 billion food cans and 20 billion beverage cans in the past year. In France, 27% of canned beverage labels now highlight carbon footprint metrics. Eastern European countries such as Poland and Romania are expanding their can manufacturing sectors, driven by lower labor costs and EU packaging regulations. More than 120 can filling lines were commissioned in the EU in 2023.

Asia-Pacific

Asia-Pacific is experiencing rapid growth. China produces over 60 billion metal cans annually, supported by 500+ canning facilities. Japan’s ready-to-drink coffee segment used 6.8 billion aluminum cans in 2023. India’s canned food market grew by 17%, primarily driven by middle-class urban consumers. ASEAN nations are seeing increased exports of canned pineapple, tuna, and coconut water. South Korea remains a hub for decorated, high-barrier beverage cans.

Middle East & Africa

The region is an emerging player in metal can adoption. Saudi Arabia and UAE accounted for 2.3 billion beverage cans in 2023, driven by non-alcoholic malt drinks. South Africa’s canned food production reached 1.1 billion units, with rising demand for canned beans and pet food. Nigeria and Kenya are expanding local canning capacity through international joint ventures.

List of Top Food & Beverage Metal Cans Companies

Ball Corporation
Crown Holdings
Ardagh group
Toyo Seikan
Silgan Holdings Inc
Can Pack Group
Daiwa Can Company
ORG Technology
CPMC Holdings
Hokkan Holdings
Baosteel Packaging
Showa Aluminum Can Corporation
ShengXing Group

Ball Corporation: Manufactured over 112 billion cans in 2023 across 100+ global facilities, leading in North America and Brazil.

Crown Holdings: Supplied more than 80 billion beverage and food cans, with major investments in European and Southeast Asian markets.

Investment Analysis and Opportunities

The food & beverage metal cans market is witnessing strong investment flows toward capacity expansion, sustainability, and digital printing. In 2023, over $3.1 billion was invested globally in new can manufacturing and filling lines. In North America, Ball Corporation announced three new facilities with combined capacity of 6 billion units per year. In India, Can Pack Group invested in a new aluminum can plant with a projected annual output of 1.2 billion cans. Silgan Holdings acquired a specialty closure firm to integrate advanced resealing systems into their can designs.

Digital can printing is a major investment magnet, with over 75 digital printing lines installed globally in 2023 alone. These lines allow smaller batches, mass customization, and faster turnaround. Investment in sustainable manufacturing includes installation of solar panels and closed-loop water systems. Over 40 can plants adopted solar-assisted production in 2023, covering 15–25% of energy needs.

Emerging markets like Vietnam, Turkey, and Egypt are becoming hotspots for multinational investments due to rising demand and export potential. ORG Technology announced a $210 million expansion in China focused on eco-friendly can production. CPMC Holdings collaborated with South Korean partners to launch a smart can factory capable of producing 1.5 billion cans annually with AI-enabled quality control.

New Product Development

Innovation in the food & beverage metal cans market is being driven by functionality, sustainability, and aesthetics. In 2023, more than 3,500 new SKUs featuring novel can formats were launched globally. Ardagh Group introduced ""Nitro Can,"" an aluminum can with a nitrogen widget targeting energy drinks and cold brew coffee markets. Showa Aluminum launched a square-shaped can with dual-compartment features to serve bento-style ready meals in Japan.

Silgan Holdings developed a smart lid system integrated with QR codes for traceability and consumer interaction. Crown Holdings released ultrathin beverage cans with a weight of just 10.8 grams per 330ml, reducing material use by 11%. In pet food, Daiwa Can launched an easy-peel aluminum can series with embossed branding and anti-slip base design.

Functional coatings inside cans are another innovation area. Several beverage companies introduced probiotics packed in cans lined with bio-based polymer films to preserve shelf stability. Baosteel Packaging launched antimicrobial inner-lining coatings for food cans targeting Asian export markets. The integration of augmented reality via printed cans also saw a 30% increase in adoption, especially in beverages targeted at Gen Z.

Five Recent Developments

Ball Corporation opened a new $300 million beverage can plant in Nevada with a 2 billion annual unit capacity.
Crown Holdings developed a line of recyclable metal bottles targeting sports drinks and teas.
Can Pack Group launched a printing plant in the UAE for premium decorated beverage cans.
Silgan Holdings acquired Gateway Plastics to enhance closure systems for metal cans.
ORG Technology partnered with Alibaba Logistics for smart tracking of metal can shipments using RFID-enabled labels.

Report Coverage of Food & Beverage Metal Cans Market

This report offers an exhaustive analysis of the global food & beverage metal cans market with coverage across manufacturing trends, raw material insights, regional production hubs, and application-specific demand trends. Over 130 datasets have been analyzed to map the use of metal cans in processed food, soft drinks, alcohol, convenience meals, and pet food. The report includes data from over 50 countries, highlighting regional supply chains, trade flows, and recycling infrastructures.

With a scope spanning aluminum and steel-based metal cans, the report covers three-piece and two-piece formats in food and beverage industries. Stakeholders such as manufacturers, logistics providers, material suppliers, and regulatory bodies are considered in this analysis. More than 60 company strategies have been reviewed, covering expansion, product development, partnerships, and technology investments. Additionally, consumer trends such as shifting dietary preferences, sustainability awareness, and e-commerce packaging needs have been incorporated.

Environmental factors such as energy usage, recycling rates, and carbon emissions are analyzed for their impact on production and procurement decisions. Supply chain risks, geopolitical dependencies, and emerging digital manufacturing trends are also assessed. This coverage ensures that stakeholders understand both present realities and future opportunities in the global food & beverage metal cans market.