This is a notable achievement given the Met Office reported 2012 was the wettest summer in 100 years.
Total UK empty can shipments for 2012 reached 9,382 million cans, a decrease of less than 1% (0.7%) year on year. The unsettled economic conditions, in addition to the weather washing out a good number of outdoor summer events, affected the take-home beer market, with shipments of beer and cider cans down 2.2% to 4,235 million.
According to Nielsen, cans are still the favoured pack choice for CSDs with over 57% of the total market. CSDs in cans are growing faster than the category as a whole. The 50cl can continues to enjoy the strongest growth (27%), driven largely by the popular energy drinks category.
Small size cans ie 15cl have grown by 12% and 25cl cans by 24%, while the 33cl can continues to deliver the highest unit sales in 2012. The most popular can multi-pack format for CSDs is eight packs, having overtaken single serves, whilst four packs have also enjoyed growth.
In an otherwise flat cider market, positive growth of 1% was achieved for cider in cans. Multi-packs continue to be the most popular way of selling beer and cider, with substantial growth in 10, 18 and 24 pack sizes.
Geoff Courtney, chairman of the Can Makers, said: “Figures show that the can industry is robust and has stood up well to the challenges presented by historic summer weather conditions and a double dip recession. Both CSD and beer and cider markets are in good shape and have out-performed most other FMCG products in 2012.”
Source: The Can Makers*
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