The drink cans market is projected to grow from USD 65.9 billion in 2025 to USD 110.1 billion by 2035, reflecting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.3% during this period. This growth is driven by increasing demand for ready-to-drink (RTD) beverages, alcoholic drinks, and carbonated soft drinks (CSDs), where drink cans remain a preferred packaging format due to their convenience, portability, and recyclability.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Market Size in 2025 | USD 65.9 billion |
| Projected Market Size in 2035 | USD 110.1 billion |
| CAGR (2025 to 2035) | 5.3% |
Aluminium cans have gained strong preference due to their lightweight, non-corrosive properties, and recyclability. Beverage manufacturers are adopting aluminium to reduce transportation costs and minimize carbon emissions. This shift is further supported by a broader move away from plastic packaging. Coca-Cola and PepsiCo have expanded their use of aluminium cans across RTD tea and flavored water lines, citing both consumer demand and sustainability goals.
Craft beer, energy drinks, and canned cocktails are witnessing strong demand globally, especially in North America, Europe, and parts of Asia-Pacific. Craft beverage companies, microbreweries, and premium juice brands have increasingly turned to drink cans for their ability to preserve freshness, enhance shelf life, and retain carbonation.
The packaging’s tamper-proof nature and improved resealable can innovations are making them more consumer-friendly. Companies like Crown Holdings and Ardagh Metal Packaging have reported increased investments in lightweight can design and digital printing technologies, allowing faster customization and branding for smaller beverage producers.
Environmental regulations and changing consumer values are accelerating the shift to sustainable formats. The European Union’s Circular Economy Action Plan and the USA Plastics Pact both promote a reduction in single-use plastics, directly benefiting aluminium-based packaging.
In May 2025 Ball Corporation, the leading global provider of sustainable aluminium packaging for beverages, personal and home care products, has partnered with Acai Motion, a Brazilian brand of natural energy drinks, to launch its new can certified by the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI) “At Ball, we are committed to delivering innovative solutions that combine sustainability and performance.
Our collaboration with Açaí Motion is a perfect example of how we can support visionary brands in expanding their businesses globally with responsible, high-performance packaging,” says Tamires Silvestre, sustainability director at Ball for South America.
The market is also expanding due to the rise in health-focused beverages such as vitamin-enriched waters, fruit juice blends, and plant-based drinks, which are now increasingly offered in cans to enhance convenience and appeal to environmentally conscious consumers. Despite challenges posed by the fluctuating cost of aluminium and tinplate, ongoing research and development in manufacturing processes and material efficiency is expected to support consistent market growth through 2035.
By 2025, aluminium cans are projected to capture a dominant market share of approximately 76.2% in the global drink cans segment. This growth is anticipated to be driven by increasing emphasis on environmentally sustainable and lightweight packaging solutions. Aluminium cans, known for being fully recyclable with global recycling rates surpassing 70%, have been widely adopted by beverage manufacturers aiming to reduce their environmental footprint.
Their ability to preserve carbonation, protect against UV exposure, and maintain beverage freshness has made them the preferred choice for packaging carbonated soft drinks, energy beverages, and alcoholic drinks. Shipping efficiencies have also been enhanced due to the lightweight nature of aluminium, which contributes to reduced transportation costs for global beverage producers.
The demand for aluminium cans has been further strengthened by the growing popularity of premium beverage offerings, including organic juices, ready-to-drink cocktails, and craft beers. These trends have encouraged the use of advanced decorative technologies such as high-resolution printing, embossing, and innovative resealable mechanisms. However, challenges such as volatile raw material prices and concerns regarding the energy-intensive manufacturing processes have been noted.
In response, light-weighting strategies and the incorporation of post-consumer recycled aluminium have been implemented by manufacturers to address both cost and environmental concerns while maintaining product integrity and functionality.
The carbonated soft drinks (CSD) segment is anticipated to retain the largest share in drink can usage, with a projected market share of approximately 53.4% by 2025. As one of the most widely consumed beverage categories globally, CSDs have been consistently packaged in aluminium cans due to their superior ability to retain carbonation compared to other packaging materials such as glass and plastic. Additionally, aluminium cans have been favored for their portability, printability, and compatibility with automated high-speed filling lines.
Consumer appeal has been enhanced through the use of visually striking can designs, including slim formats, textured finishes, and vivid prints, which have been deployed to differentiate products in crowded retail environments. Shifting consumer preferences toward low-sugar, zero-calorie, and functional beverages have also contributed to increased demand for aluminium cans in this segment. To attract health-conscious and younger consumers, brands have launched smaller and personalized can sizes, supported by limited-edition designs and targeted marketing strategies.
As sustainability continues to gain momentum, soft drink companies have expanded their investment in eco-conscious packaging by promoting 100% recyclable aluminium can formats and incorporating lightweight materials. These developments are expected to reinforce the dominance of the CSD segment in the global drink can market throughout the forecast period.
Fluctuating Raw Material Prices and Supply Chain Disruptions
Inflationary pressures pose a major challenge to the drink cans market as ongoing increases in aluminium and steel prices will raise prices for consumers, with aluminium and steel being the primary materials used to make cans.
They are also used in the production of electrical vehicles (EVs) and renewable energy technologies (solar panels, energy storage, etc.) The global supply chain of these raw materials is extremely vulnerable to its geopolitics (tension, restrictions, etc.) and market imbalances, leading to a very volatile pricing pattern.
This volatility affects manufacturing costs and profitability for beverage producers and can makers alike, resulting in challenges in maintaining competitive prices. Aluminium production requires substantial energy, elevating the production costs, thus making it difficult for drink brands wanting mass production to make them affordable.
A large part of this stems from supply chain disruptions as a result of logistical bottlenecks, labour shortages and inefficiencies of transportation. In the supply chain of beverage manufacturers, delays in raw material procurement, production backlogs, and shipping congestion can affect the timely availability of drink cans.
Small and mid-sized beverage brands feel the biggest impact, as they often do not have the stock of resources to absorb increased costs or find other sourcing channels. Furthermore, manufacturers are feeling intense pressure to reduce carbon footprints with a growing appetite for sustainable packaging and eco-friendly materials increasing operational costs.
The drink can manufacturers are becoming increasingly reliant on heavy supply chain diversification, whereby aluminum is sourced across different regions to avoid facing a similar situation with raw materials shortages. Companies are also turning to closed-loop recycling systems to cut reliance on virgin aluminium and reduce production costs.
Moreover, beverage manufacturers can partner with raw material suppliers to maintain more stable pricing models, which can mitigate the effects of price volatility on end-products. FTAs, along with cross-border supply chain cooperation, can also simplify the physical movement of goods, lowering costs while also encouraging modern domestic production capabilities and transportation infrastructure.
Increase in Demand for Sustainable and Lightweight Packaging
The rising consumer demand for sustainable and recyclable packaging solutions has led to impactful growth opportunities for the drink cans market. Aluminium is infinitely recyclable and lightweight, making it a fit for global sustainability goals that seek to solve for plastic pollution and lighter environmental footprints.
The beverage label is moving towards aluminium can in place of plastic bottles for products including carbonated soft drinks, alcoholic beverages, energy drinks, and flavoured water which is driving wide-spread acceptance of drink cans. Demand for drink cans across segments has also been boosted by the rising demand for ready-to-drink (RTD) beverages and single-serve drink formats.
The increase in health consciousness among consumers and the growing demand for functional and energy drinks in recyclable packaging also contribute to this major factor supporting growth. The beverage sector is reacting to this trend by rolling out more low-calorie, sugar-free, and immunity-boosting drinks, which puts cans for drinks in greater demand.
In addition, a rise in premiumization trends in the alcoholic beverage market, driven by craft beers, seltzers, and canned cocktails, has created the demand for aesthetically designed and customizable drink cans, allowing beverage brands to fortify their net market scenario.
And the rise of advanced printing technologies like digital and direct-to-can printing has created new revenue opportunities for the can manufacturers. They empower beverage brands to create limited-edition packaging, seasonal designs and highly personalized branding, increasing product appeal and engaging consumers.
Moreover, continuous R&D efforts to optimize aluminum cans to be the thinnest with low strength dependency would promote cost-effectiveness and encourage sustainability throughout the value chain. Such attributes allow providers to use the opportunity of working to shift focus on green practices, which include sustainable material sourcing & close-loop recycling systems, innovative package designs, et cetera.
In fact, ready-to-drink (RTD) beverages, carbonated soft drinks (CSDs), and alcoholic beverages (including beer and cocktails) are massively contributing to the growth of Drink Cans Market USA. Sustainable packaging solutions are gaining traction in food and beverage packaging as aluminium cans have higher recyclability and less carbon emissions compared to plastic and glass type packaging.
The market is being driven by major beverage companies in the USA, such as PepsiCo, Coca-Cola, and Anheuser-Busch, turning big on aluminium drink cans to work toward sustainability goals.
The shift in consumer preference from glass and plastic to drink cans has further fuelled demand in the USA on the back of increasing consumption of energy drinks, hard seltzers and canned wine. Work from Home (WFH) has emerged as one of the most convenient and best-suited alternative working styles amid the pandemic, leading to a significant shift in the packaging trends from glass or plastic to easier and simpler portable packaging solutions like cans.
Meanwhile, leading beverage companies are focusing on next-generation can designs, like reclosable cans and sustainable packaging, contributing to market expansion. Demand for drink cans in the United States is also being driven by the growing popularity of canned alcoholic beverages such as craft beer, pre-mixed cocktails, and hard sodas.
| Country | CAGR (2025 to 2035) |
|---|---|
| USA | 7.9% |
Turning this idea into more of a reality, drink producers have swapped their plastic bottles out for aluminium cans, making their products more sustainable as the UK government works to illuminate the issue of plastic waste.
The growth of the drink can market in the UK has been driven by increasing consumption of carbonated soft drinks, energy drinks and ready-to-drink beverages, while the growing popularity of canned alcoholic beverages, such as craft beer, flavoured cocktails and ready-to-drink mixed spirits, is also supporting market expansion.
In addition to that, owing to growing consumer preference towards recyclable drink cans coupled with the growing demand for sustainable beverage packaging, manufacturers in the beverage industry are more inclined to go for recyclable drink cans, in turn reflecting an increase in the market demand.
This increase in demand for aluminium drink cans in the UK has also been fuelled by the growing trend of functional beverages, like protein drinks, kombucha and vitamin-enriched drinks. More of that increasing demand for the customizations in beverages, in uniquely designed cans or resealable cans, will likely fuel the growth of the UK market in coming years.
| Country | CAGR (2025 to 2035) |
|---|---|
| UK | 7.4% |
Insights on European Union (EU) Drink Cans Market Latest Edition: The report on the Euro-focused Drink Cans Market has reiterated its ongoing assessment for the period October 2023. Germany, France, and Italy are the main beneficiaries of this demand, with the growing consumption of carbonated soft drinks, beer, and ready-to-drink beverages being the main drivers.
The EU's strict regulations to reduce single-use plastics have led to a spike in demand for aluminium drink cans as an environmentally friendly packaging option. Furthermore, the rising craft beer industry in Europe is also the main reason for the increasing need for drink cans across most of the breweries, whether small or mid-sized.
Furthermore, the growing preference for low-calorie and functional drinks, such as energy drinks, sparkling water, and ready-to-drink health drinks, boosts the growth of the market. The growing investments by beverage companies in terms of sustainable packaging, coupled with increasing demand for portable and on-the-go consumption of drink cans, is supporting market growth.
As a result, there is a significant increase in the demand for aluminium drink cans throughout the EU, mainly owing to the growing popularity of canned wine, hard seltzers and reduced-alcohol beverages.
| Country | CAGR (2025 to 2035) |
|---|---|
| European Union (EU) | 7.6% |
Japan is the world's first biggest consumer market for beverage cans in terms of energy drink consumption, carbonated soft drink, and canned alcoholic. Growing demand for aluminium drink cans is a result of the beverage industry in Japan, particularly for canned coffee, fruit juices, and RTD green tea. Single-serve and portable beverage primitive are positively impacting the demand for lightweight and convenient packaging solutions, thus influencing the the rising trend.
Furthermore, the rising demand for eco-friendly packaging & recyclable products in Japan is driving beverage manufacturers to substitute plastic packaging with aluminium drink cans.
More and more of the major beverage companies are investing in technologically advanced can designs, including temperature-sensitive bags, resalable-finish bags and lightweight bags. In addition to this, in Japan, the demand for canned alcohol products, including flavored seltzers, craft beer, and pre-mixed cocktails, is also driving the growth of the market throughout the country.
| Country | CAGR (2025 to 2035) |
|---|---|
| Japan | 7.3% |
The Drink Cans Market is seeing fast growth due to carbonated soft drinks, energy drinks, and more, which are in high demand in South Korea. Global beverage brands and the rising local craft beer output are attributed to the core reasons for this rising demand for drink cans. In addition, on-the-go health drinks, such as nutritional drinks, kombucha, functional beverages, and so on, have also contributed significantly to the demand.
Korean beverage firms have shifted toward aluminium drinking cans, which is a packaged recyclable material, as South Korea remains immersed in sustainability. The increasing need for canned drinks like alcohol-free beer, hard seltzers, and ready-to-drink cocktails has also spurred market growth. Increasing consumer requirements are driving manufacturers of beverages to offer new packaging solutions such as resealable cans, stackable cans, and cans with eco-friendly designs.
| Country | CAGR (2025 to 2035) |
|---|---|
| South Korea | 7.8% |
The drink cans market is driven by increasing consumption of lightweight, recyclable, and turnable packaging solutions by the beverage industry and is expected to witness positive growth across the forecast period. A surge in consumer’s inclination toward the consumption of canned beverages such as carbonated soft drinks, beer, energy drinks, fruit juices, and ready-to-drink (RTD) beverages is aiding the demand for drink cans to a considerable extent.
The market is also gaining the traction of aluminium cans because of their excellent recyclability and increased shelf life, which are key factors in the growth of the market. Some of the key areas of transformation covered in the report are lightweight aluminium cans, premium beverage packaging designs, and growing investments in sustainable can manufacturing.
Furthermore, beverage manufacturers are collaborating with can producers to minimize carbon footprints and encourage circular economy practices, boosting market demand.
Ball Corporation (22-26%)
As the largest supplier of drink cans globally, Ball Corporation focuses on manufacturing lightweight aluminum cans, incorporating eco-friendly materials, and supporting sustainable packaging practices. The company has also invested heavily in high-definition printing to cater to beverage branding demands.
Crown Holdings, Inc. (18-22%)
Crown Holdings specializes in producing beverage cans for carbonated soft drinks, beer, and ready-to-drink beverages. The company emphasizes developing highly customizable packaging solutions to attract beverage producers while promoting circular economy practices.
Ardagh Group S.A. (14-18%)
Ardagh Group offers aluminum and steel beverage cans with advanced lithography printing technology for premium packaging. The company also focuses on reducing carbon emissions in its production processes to support sustainable beverage packaging.
CANPACK S.A. (10-14%)
CANPACK is recognized for producing lightweight and fully customizable beverage cans for the energy drink, craft beer, and soft drink markets. The company emphasizes using recycled materials and advanced printing designs to enhance visual appeal and minimize environmental impact.
Toyo Seikan Group Holdings (8-12%)
A major supplier of drink cans in the Asian market, Toyo Seikan manufactures lightweight and recyclable aluminum cans for soft drinks, beer, and fruit juices. The company has invested in new material technologies to further reduce the carbon footprint of its packaging products.
Other Key Players (25-30% Combined)
Several other companies contribute to the growth of the drink cans market by offering sustainable, lightweight, and visually appealing packaging solutions for beverages. These include:
The overall market size for the Drink Cans Market was USD 65.9 billion in 2025.
The Drink Cans Market is expected to reach USD 110.1 billion in 2035.
The increasing demand for sustainable and recyclable beverage packaging, growing consumption of carbonated soft drinks, energy drinks, and alcoholic beverages, along with rising awareness regarding eco-friendly packaging solutions fuel the Drink Cans Market during the forecast period. The shift toward aluminum cans due to their lightweight, high recyclability, and lower carbon footprint further accelerates market growth.
The top 5 countries driving the development of the Drink Cans Market are the United States, China, Germany, Japan, and Brazil.
On the basis of application, Aluminum Cans are expected to command a significant share over the forecast period, driven by increasing demand from the beverage industry, growing preference for recyclable packaging, and enhanced shelf-life benefits provided by aluminium cans.
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Drink Cans Market
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