India Metal Can Market Overview, 2030

The metal can market in India emerged as the country industrialized, driven by the need for better food preservation and longer shelf life. Metal cans were first used for packaging food items like canned fruits and vegetables, offering advantages in contamination protection, storage, and transportation. The demand for packaged and processed food in urban areas fueled the adoption of metal cans, leading to their use across various industries, including food, beverages, and pharmaceuticals. Leading companies in India’s metal can market include Ball Beverage Packaging India Pvt. Ltd., Toyo Seikan India Ltd., and Can-Pack India Pvt. Ltd. Ball Beverage Packaging India, a part of the global Ball Corporation, specializes in aluminium beverage cans, providing packaging solutions for soft drinks, beer, and energy drinks. The company is recognized for its commitment to sustainability, lightweighting, and producing highly recyclable cans, catering to India’s growing demand for eco-friendly packaging. Toyo Seikan India manufactures steel and aluminium cans for food, beverages, and chemicals, focusing on high-quality manufacturing and innovations like easy-open cans. Can-Pack India focuses on aluminium cans for beverages, especially beer and soft drinks, and is known for advanced technology and sustainability efforts, such as increasing recycling rates and reducing carbon footprints. These companies lead the Indian market due to their strong manufacturing capabilities, technological innovations, and focus on sustainability, offering high-quality and customized packaging solutions. In India, government policies like Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) under the Plastic Waste Management Rules influence the metal can market. The EPR policy is being extended to other packaging materials like metal, urging manufacturers to take responsibility for packaging lifecycle, including collection and recycling. The Swachh Bharat Abhiyan promotes recycling practices, indirectly boosting the use of recyclable materials like aluminium. The government also incentivizes companies through tax exemptions and subsidies for adopting eco-friendly practices, while initiatives like Make in India support domestic manufacturing and growth in the metal can sector.

According to the research report, "India Metal Can Market Overview, 2030," published by Bonafide Research, the India Metal Can market is anticipated to add to more than USD 1.63 Billion by 2025–30. The metal can market in India has experienced significant growth due to the rising demand for packaged foods, beverages, and pharmaceuticals. The key merits of metal cans is their ability to extend shelf life, particularly important in India due to the long distances over which perishable goods are transported. Metal cans, especially aluminium, are highly recyclable, which aligns with India’s growing focus on sustainability and eco-friendly packaging. They also offer superior protection from external factors like moisture, air, and light, ensuring product safety and contamination prevention. Metal cans are cost-effective to produce at large scales, making them ideal for mass-produced beverages and food products. Several challenges affect the Indian market. Extreme weather conditions, particularly in hot summers, can degrade the packaging material, especially for temperature-sensitive products. Manufacturers can improve the quality of metal coatings and invest in insulation technologies. Another challenge is that steel cans are heavier compared to alternatives like plastic or Tetra Paks, leading to higher transportation costs and carbon emissions. Shifting to aluminium cans or adopting lightweighting techniques in steel cans could address this issue. Recycling remains a challenge, especially in rural areas with less developed waste management infrastructure. The government and manufacturers can collaborate on improving waste management systems and raising awareness. India's reliance on imported aluminium also poses environmental concerns, which can be reduced by encouraging sustainable mining practices and increasing the use of recycled aluminium. Growing consumer preferences for biodegradable materials and plant-based plastics challenge the dominance of metal cans. Manufacturers can innovate with eco-friendly designs and incorporate more recycled materials into their products. Addressing these challenges through innovation and collaboration is key to the continued growth of the metal can market in India. Various events, such as the Indian Packaging Exhibition and the India Waste-to-Wealth Conference, have shaped the market by promoting sustainable practices and innovative packaging solutions. These initiatives highlight India's commitment to advancing environmental responsibility within the metal can industry.

In the Indian metal can market, aluminium and steel are the two primary materials used for manufacturing cans, each offering unique benefits and facing distinct challenges based on India’s market demands and conditions. Aluminium is the more dominant material used in beverage cans, particularly for carbonated drinks, juices, and bottled water. It is lightweight, cost-efficient, and highly recyclable, which makes it an appealing option for large-scale production. The growing awareness about sustainability in India further promotes aluminium’s appeal, as it can be recycled indefinitely without degrading its quality. Aluminium’s corrosion resistance makes it a strong contender for packaging beverages and perishable goods, offering better protection against contamination and preserving product quality over long distances, especially in hot climates. The cost of aluminium remains a challenge for manufacturers in India, as the country imports a significant portion of its aluminium, exposing the market to global price fluctuations. This reliance on imports can increase the overall cost of production for aluminium cans. Steel, while used less frequently than aluminium, is employed in packaging for food products such as canned vegetables, fruits, and ready-to-eat meals. Steel offers a durable and robust packaging solution, especially for products that require long shelf lives and resistance to external factors like temperature changes and physical damage during transportation. Steel cans are often preferred for heavier or bulkier products, such as sauces and food items with a longer shelf life, as they are more structurally stable. steel cans are heavier compared to aluminium, which increases transportation costs and carbon emissions, making them less desirable for the beverage sector. Steel is more prone to rust and corrosion when exposed to moisture, which can affect product safety, though advancements in coatings have improved its shelf life and protection.

In the Indian metal can market, closure types play a significant role in determining the convenience, cost, and functionality of packaging, with the most common being Easy-open ends (EOE) and Peel-off ends (POE). Both closure types offer distinct advantages and cater to different consumer needs and product requirements in the Indian context. Easy-open ends (EOE) are the most widely used closure type in the Indian metal can market.. These closures are designed for consumer convenience, allowing users to open the can easily without requiring a can opener. The demand for EOE cans is high in sectors like soft drinks, beer, juices, and ready-to-eat food items, which are commonly consumed in urban areas where convenience is a significant factor in purchasing decisions. The ease of use makes EOE cans particularly popular for on-the-go consumption, a growing trend in India’s fast-paced lifestyle. EOE cans are also more hygienic, as they prevent exposure to the contents until the can is opened, ensuring the freshness of the product. Peel-off ends (POE), though less common than EOE in the Indian market, are used primarily in specialized products, particularly in food packaging like canned fruits, vegetables, and dairy products. POE is designed for products that require tamper-evident seals, ensuring product safety and integrity. These types of closures are typically seen in products where the packaging needs to be resealed after opening or in cases where consumers prefer a more premium or unique packaging experience. The peel-off feature provides an added level of freshness and protection, making it ideal for products that are meant to be consumed slowly or in stages. Other closures are occasionally used for specialized applications, but they do not hold significant market share in India. These can include screw-on caps or crown caps, typically found in glass bottle packaging or used for specific products like certain dairy items and non-carbonated beverages. Easy-open ends (EOE) dominate the Indian market due to their affordability, ease of use, and suitability for high-volume products, especially in the beverage industry. As consumer demand for convenience and easy-to-use packaging rises, the adoption of EOE is likely to continue growing.

In the Indian metal can market, the two primary types of cans are 2-piece and 3-piece cans, each catering to specific needs within various industries like food, beverages, and consumer goods. 2-piece cans are the most commonly used in India, especially in the beverage industry. Made from a single piece of metal that is drawn and stamped into a cylindrical shape, these cans are lightweight, cost-effective, and efficient to manufacture. 2-piece aluminium cans are widely used for soft drinks, carbonated beverages, beer, energy drinks, and juices. Their lightweight nature reduces transportation costs and carbon emissions, making them popular in a market increasingly focused on sustainability. Aluminium cans also benefit from high recyclability, which aligns with India’s growing emphasis on eco-friendly packaging. 3-piece cans, made from steel or tinplate, are more commonly used in the food industry for products like canned vegetables, fruits, and ready-to-eat meals. The 3-piece structure involves welding a flat sheet of metal to form the body, with separate top and bottom pieces attached. While more durable than 2-piece cans, 3-piece cans are heavier and more expensive to produce due to the additional manufacturing steps. These cans provide extra protection from external factors like moisture, air, and light, ensuring product integrity and longer shelf life. In India, 2-piece cans dominate the market due to their efficiency, lower production costs, and suitability for mass-produced beverages, whereas 3-piece cans are used for products requiring stronger packaging and extended shelf life. Both types play important roles in India’s diverse packaging landscape, with manufacturing processes tailored to meet industry-specific demands.



In India, the metal can market serves several industries, with each sector adopting specific types of cans to meet their packaging needs. Food packaging relies heavily on both steel and aluminium cans, with steel used for products like canned vegetables, fruits, soups, and sauces. These cans offer extended shelf life by protecting the contents from air, light, and moisture, which is crucial for the preservation of processed foods. Aluminium cans are used for packaging food products like ready-to-eat meals, providing a lightweight and highly recyclable option. In the beverage industry, aluminium cans dominate the market due to their light weight, cost-effectiveness, and recyclability. They are used for soft drinks, juices, energy drinks, and beer. Aluminium cans are produced through advanced techniques like drawing and ironing, which shape the material into cylindrical forms while ensuring durability and efficiency. The cosmetics and personal care industry is also increasingly adopting aluminium cans, particularly for aerosols, deodorants, and hair sprays. Aluminium’s ability to withstand pressure and its aesthetic appeal make it a popular choice for personal care packaging. For pharmaceuticals, aluminium cans are used for packaging inhalers, medical sprays, and ointments. These cans are manufactured to meet stringent regulatory standards, ensuring safety and hygiene. Metal cans are used in the chemicals and industrial sector, particularly for packaging paints, oils, and lubricants. Steel cans are favored for their resistance to corrosion and ability to contain hazardous substances. The metal can market in India is diverse, driven by the need for durable, sustainable, and high-quality packaging solutions across food, beverage, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and industrial applications.


Considered in this report
• Historic Year: 2019
• Base year: 2024
• Estimated year: 2025
• Forecast year: 2030

Aspects covered in this report
• Metal Can Market with its value and forecast along with its segments
• Various drivers and challenges
• On-going trends and developments
• Top profiled companies
• Strategic recommendation

By Material
• Aluminum
• Steel

By Closure Type
• Easy-open end (EOE)
• Peel-off end (POE)
• Others

By Product
• 2-Piece cans
• 3-Piece cans

By Application
• Food
• Beverages
• Cosmetics and personal care
• Pharmaceuticals
• Others

The approach of the report:
This report consists of a combined approach of primary as well as secondary research. Initially, secondary research was used to get an understanding of the market and listing out the companies that are present in the market. The secondary research consists of third-party sources such as press releases, annual report of companies, analyzing the government generated reports and databases. After gathering the data from secondary sources primary research was conducted by making telephonic interviews with the leading players about how the market is functioning and then conducted trade calls with dealers and distributors of the market. Post this we have started doing primary calls to consumers by equally segmenting consumers in regional aspects, tier aspects, age group, and gender. Once we have primary data with us we have started verifying the details obtained from secondary sources.

Intended audience
This report can be useful to industry consultants, manufacturers, suppliers, associations & organizations related to agriculture industry, government bodies and other stakeholders to align their market-centric strategies. In addition to marketing & presentations, it will also increase competitive knowledge about the industry.