Europe Canned Food Packaging Industry

Europe Canned Food Packaging Market Analysis

The Europe Canned Food Packaging Market is expected to register a CAGR of 6.3% during the forecast period.

• Canning is a technique for keeping and preserving food that involves heating the degrading enzymes and enclosing them in an airtight container. It's a cheap method of preserving food for longer, depending on the product. Because they are free of microbial contamination and may be used to keep meals ready to eat warm, canned foods are very popular.
• The market is primarily driven by increased demand for packaged and processed foods, expansion of convenient food options, rising demand for milk-based products, urbanization on the rise, and cans' capacity to be recycled and reused. Increased availability of alternative packaging options and strict government rules regarding safe packaging are significant barriers for the canned food packaging business.
• With a population of about 447 million across 44 countries, Europe is among the leading regions for some of the world's largest events. The rising canned beverage consumption rates during various sporting events are expected to further fuel the market expansion due to their increasing levels of handling convenience. The growing demand for soft drinks and juices is also anticipated positively affect the canned food market.
• Furthermore, the search for new can-based packaging concepts across the European region has been fueled by climate change and the rising warming of the planet. Businesses involved in packaging are emphasizing eco-friendly packaging more and more. Changing consumer preferences and a shortage of fresh items throughout the difficult winter months are among the other major factors driving the market growth.
• Additionally, the preference for canned dinners among the working population is another factor driving regional market expansion. The importance of health and wellness among people is increasing, and the markets in Germany, the UK, and Russia are expanding quickly. These factors all contribute to the expansion of the regional market.
• However, the European Commission regulation establishes maximum levels for several contaminants in food products. This regulation is frequently altered, which may create challenges for the vendors operating in the market. In addition to the limitations specified for basic commodities, there are various contamination limits for multiple goods. There is only one substantial limit for canned goods on the inorganic tin (maximum 200 mg/kg).
• The outbreak of COVID-19 had a notable impact on the European, canned food packaging market. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, people have become more concerned with hygiene, additives, freshness, and sustainability, paying more attention to how their food is packaged and to the information on the packaging, which positively impacts the canned food packaging market.

Europe Canned Food Packaging Market Trends

Aluminum to Hold Significant Market Share

• Aluminum is lightweight, which lowers the cost of transportation. It also has a high barrier effect and is impenetrable to air, light, and microorganisms. As a thermal conductor, this substance swiftly and evenly disperses heat.
• Additionally, its flexible nature provides packaging manufacturers with an endless range of moldable shapes. As a result of its assortment of benefits, the demand is expected to remain high in the European food packaging market. For instance, according to the World Bureau of Metal Statistics, consumption of refined aluminum has increased to 7.05 thousand metric tons in Europe in 2021.
• Considering the benefits of Aluminum cans, the vendors are undertaking several research initiatives to develop innovative packaging solutions that can have minimal impact on the environment as the demand for sustainable packaging has been growing significantly across the European countries.
• Furthermore, many companies are switching from plastic to aluminum cans because the latter has more advantageous qualities than the former. For instance, Golden Grail Technology declared the debut of Cause Water's updated website in June 2022. The website's primary goal is education. It offers visitors explicit instructions on why aluminum is preferable to plastic, along with shared resources that encourage further learning.
• Additionally, the recyclable nature of aluminum cans s further strengthening its position in the canned food packaging market. Initiatives are being taken by vendors in collaboration with independent organizations to promote recycling of aluminum cans. For instance, in March 2021, Metal Packaging Europe and European Aluminium jointly unveiled a roadmap for reaching 100% recycling of aluminum beverage cans by 2030. The Roadmap reflects the belief of cansheet producers, beverage can makers, and recyclers of old aluminum cans that the full potential of the aluminum beverage can as a pioneer in a completely circular economy can be achieved in coming years.

Italy to Hold a Major Market Share

• Italy is among the biggest exporter in the European region. The top canned export from Italy is tomatoes and cereals. Most canning activities in Italy occur in and around Naples (in south-central Italy), with a small portion coming from Bologna and its surroundings in the country's north. Most tomatoes are grown in the Foggia region and other regions of the province of Apulia, located around 200 kilometers from Naples. Tomatoes are also produced in considerable quantities in the Tuscan region.
• Canned vegetables also hold a significant part of the total food exports from Italy. For instance, according to the data provided by ANICAV (National Industrial Association of Vegetable Food Preserves of Italy), about 334 thousand tons of vegetable preserves and legumes were exported in the first half of 2021.
• Several suppliers of food packaging cans in the Italian market offer a comprehensive portfolio of products to fulfill the packaging requirements of various food types. For instance, La Doria is among the leading Italian corporation in the canned food sector, particularly for tomato-based products, canned vegetables, pasta sauce, fruit juices, and beverages. Its major clients include Tesco, Woolworths, Sainsbury's, Whole Foods, Sam's Club, Waitrose, Morrison, Asda, Lidl and Ica.
• Vendors operating in the market are increasingly focusing on innovation in can packaging to make them more effective and highly customized to individual product packaging requirements. For instance, to ensure leak-proof containers, protect products from contaminants, and preserve product quality throughout a long shelf-life, Tecnocap, an Italian-based global metal packaging manufacturer, selected BASF's non-phthalate plasticizer Hexamoll DINCH BMB for sealing gaskets inside its metal closures in September 2021. Such developments are expected to have a notable impact on the studied market.
• Furthermore, the market for canned fish products is anticipated to expand alongside that for tomatoes due to the strong demand for exotic fish and fish products driven by European consumers' way of life. The market thrives in Italy, where there is a large-scale manufacturing of canned fish products and a high import-driven demand.

Europe Canned Food Packaging Industry Overview

The canned food packaging market in Europe is moderately competitive. It is expected to move towards a fragmented stage as the growing demand is expected to attract new players to the market. Some of the region's top canned food packaging providers include Amcor, Can-Pack S.A., Ball Corporation, Crown Holdings, and Ball Corporation, among others. The vendors are focusing on further expanding their market presence and are increasing their investment in new product development, recycling facilities, and mergers/acquisitions.

• August 2022 - Jealsa, a Spanish seafood canner, joined the government-backed canning technology project to leverage big data to optimize the production process in the canned seafood sector.
• April 2022 - Alupro (the Aluminum Packaging Recycling Organisation) announced that the aluminum packaging recycling rate in the United Kingdom was 68% in 2021, with more than 156,000 tonnes collected for recycling. According to Alupro, more than four in five beverage cans were recycled last year (82%), matching the previous years record.

Europe Canned Food Packaging Market Leaders

Europe Canned Food Packaging Market News

• April 2022 - Berlin Packaging, a US-based hybrid packaging company, acquired Italian glass and metal packaging supplier Panvetri. Based in Modugno, Panvetri serves food manufacturers, wine estates, cooperative wineries, and oil mills, primarily in Italy's Apulia and Basilicata regions. The acquisition is expected to help Berling Packaging further expand its presence in the European region.
• February 2022 - The United States and Europe agreed to resume the trade in shellfish between them after more than a decade. As part of the agreement, Netherlands and Spain will be allowed to export chilled, or frozen shellfish such as mussels, oysters, clams, and scallops to the U.S., whilst the states of Washington and Massachusetts will be allowed to do the same to the European Union.