The global tinplate packaging market is set for significant growth, primarily driven by the increasing demand for sustainable and eco-friendly packaging solutions. Valued at around USD 1.6 billion in 2023 and estimated between USD 1.67 billion and USD 1.8 billion in 2024 by various sources, the market is projected to reach approximately USD 2.65 billion to USD 3.11 billion by 2032-2034, growing at a CAGR of 5.17% to 6.5% during this forecast period. Tinplate's inherent recyclability and lightweight nature make it an attractive option for reducing transportation costs and environmental impact, particularly within the food and beverage industries.
Key market insights
The market's expansion is supported by tinplate's properties. Produced from steel, tinplate offers a sturdy and lustrous packaging material capable of withstanding high pressure, temperature, and physical damage during manufacturing and transport. Its high recyclability, durability, and printability are also key factors boosting sales.
The COVID-19 pandemic had a mixed impact. While demand for shelf-stable canned goods increased as consumers stockpiled during lockdowns, the market also faced challenges from raw material shortages, disrupted production, and temporary retail closures. The pandemic shifted consumer preferences towards packaged and processed foods, benefiting the market, but reduced infrastructural activity negatively affected certain segments.
Tinplate packaging market trends
A major trend is the growing awareness of the benefits of canned food. Tinplate cans extend the shelf life of food and beverages by protecting against spoilage, oxidation, and microbial contamination through a hermetic seal. This preserves freshness, nutritional value, texture, and flavors, ensuring food safety. Manufactured from food-grade material, tinplate cans are designed to withstand high temperatures during canning without leaching harmful substances. Modern preservation techniques further enhance safety. The convenience, durability, and versatility of canned food make it a preferred choice for consumers, producers, and the environment. The increasing demand for convenient, highly recyclable packaging is a significant market trend.
Another key trend is the rising awareness and demand for sustainable packaging. Tinplate packaging is 100% recyclable without loss of quality, supporting a circular economy by conserving resources, reducing energy consumption, and minimizing waste. Its durability minimizes product damage and loss during transportation and storage, reducing food waste and supporting sustainable development goals. Tinplate's sustainable attributes make it a compelling solution for environmentally conscious stakeholders, contributing to market growth.
Tinplate packaging market growth factors
The increasing demand for tinplate packaging in the food and beverage industry is a primary growth driver. Tinplate offers exceptional protection, shielding perishable goods from light, moisture, oxygen, and other elements that degrade quality and shelf life. The growing global population and increased consumption of canned food products directly fuel this demand.
Faster-paced lifestyles contribute to a higher consumer preference for convenient, ready-to-eat foods. Tinplate packaging effectively preserves the freshness and integrity of these products, extending shelf life and ensuring safety. The rise of online grocery shopping has also increased the demand for durable and secure packaging, accelerating tinplate adoption.
Restraining factors
The market faces restraints, mainly the availability of substitute packaging materials like aluminum, plastic, and paper. These alternatives offer a wider range of properties and can be more suitable for specific applications (e.g., plastic for lightweight flexibility, aluminum for protective properties and recyclability). Tinplate may struggle to meet the exact performance needs of all applications, potentially limiting its competitiveness.
The cost of tinplate packaging compared to substitutes is another major restraint, especially in price-sensitive markets. While offering key benefits, manufacturing costs can be higher than for plastic or paperboard. Manufacturers must manage costs effectively to remain competitive. The higher price and potentially lower profitability compared to alternatives can hinder market growth in certain segments. Volatility in the prices of raw materials like steel and tin also disrupts cost stability and profitability.
Tinplate packaging market segmentation analysis
The market is segmented by product type, thickness, and end-use industry.
By Product Type: Cans dominate the market due to their excellent storage, protective properties, versatility, durability, and convenience. Rising consumer preferences and environmental concerns favoring recyclability boost demand for cans. Pails are the second-largest segment, valued for corrosion resistance, making them suitable for chemicals and paints, particularly in the growing paint industry.
By Thickness: Tinplate sheets between 0.15mm and 0.30mm thickness lead the market. Their lighter weight compared to thicker options facilitates lighter, more portable packaging, reducing material usage and transportation costs. The below 0.15mm segment is the second-largest, used in packaging for personal care and confectionery.
By End-use Industry: The food industry is the largest segment, driven by tinplate's preservation, safety, and hygiene properties and the high demand for canned foods. The beverage industry also shows increasing demand for tinplate cans. The paint industry is the second-largest segment, with demand for corrosion-resistant tinplate pails growing due to urbanization and industrialization.
Regional insights
Geographically, the market is analyzed across North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East & Africa.
Asia Pacific holds the largest market share (around 50% in 2023-2024), driven by increasing disposable income, population growth, urbanization, and rising consumption of canned food, along with growing awareness of sustainable packaging. North America is the second-largest market, influenced by changing lifestyles and a shift towards packaged and processed foods.
Europe shows significant growth, fueled by increasing consumption of alcoholic beverages and demand for innovative, sustainable packaging.
Latin America is expected to experience moderate growth, supported by increasing infrastructural activities.
The Middle East & Africa is projected for steady growth, driven by economic development and rising sustainable product awareness.
Tetra Recart: the sustainable carton alternative to cans
Despite the undeniable advantages of the tin can, other types of packaging are widely used worldwide. These alternatives also offer a number of technical and environmental advantages that make them serious competitors for the traditional "tin can." This is the niche that Tetra Pak is positioning itself in. The Swedish packaging leader, is actively encouraging the replacement of traditional tinplate cans with cardboard packaging, particularly through its Tetra Recart range. The main objective is to promote sustainability. Although metal cans are well-established for their simplicity, robustness, and long shelf life, Tetra Pak is betting on carton for foods like beans, chickpeas, or chopped tomatoes.
Demand for the Tetra Recart solution is increasing significantly, with a compound annual growth rate of 6.5% between 2016 and 2024, even reaching 8% over the last year. This trend is driven by the sustainable advantages of carton compared to metal cans, even though the latter are recyclable.
Tetra Pak highlights that carton packages are more efficient to transport because they are more compact and easier to stack, allowing for better optimization of product volume per load and reducing the environmental impact of transport. Across the value chain, the manufacturing of Tetra Recart cartons requires less energy and uses a greater proportion of renewable energy. Overall, their carbon emissions are lower, thanks to transport efficiency and the use of paperboard, a renewable resource.
Carton packages retain the main benefits of cans. They offer the same shelf life due to the application of similar heat treatment techniques. Although metal cans are infinitely recyclable, Tetra Recart carton is also recyclable, and its paperboard is highly "repulpable," allowing up to seven recycling cycles. Furthermore, facing geopolitical pressures affecting the prices of materials like tinplate, cartons can become more economically competitive.
Some complementary data
Source: fortunebusinessinsights.com, foodnavigator.com
