Why the Beverage Can Is Becoming a Strategic Brand Asset Within the New Global Beverage Trends

Overview

The global beverage landscape is undergoing a dynamic period of transformation. Consumers’ behavioural shifts towards healthier living and sustainability are pushing brands to innovate beyond the liquid itself—and changing expectations around packaging. The beverage can, once viewed primarily as a functional format, has now evolved into a strategic storytelling platform for brands—signalling wellness through clean, minimalist aesthetics, premiumisation through refined finishes, and moderation through diverse, mindful formats.

Driving the Beverage Can Transformation

Four converging forces are shaping the next generation of beverages globally: a sharper focus on health and wellness, a desire for premium yet personalised experiences, a growing movement toward alcohol moderation, and an uncompromising expectation that products support more sustainable lifestyles.

These forces are not only reshaping what consumers drink, they fundamentally reshape how products are packaged and presented. Aluminium cans are among the fastest-growing beverage packaging formats across most regions, driven by demand for circular materials, convenience and expanding use across emerging categories. From visually expressive 360-graphics that drive instant shelf recognition to inherently sustainable credentials, cans are now an active part of the new beverage propositions.

Health and Wellness: The Rise of Functional Drinks

If there is one common trend that is driving major shifts in the beverage markets across the globe, it is undeniably health and wellness. While sugar reduction remains important across markets – such as Asia, Brazil, and particularly in Europe where legislation such as sugar taxes continues to expand —consumer expectations now go far beyond calorie control.

Across North America, Europe and Asia, consumers are increasingly seeking beverages that deliver tangible benefits. Drinks are no longer just about refreshment; the continued double‑digit growth in the past few years of the energy drinks segment clearly illustrates this shift. But beyond caffeine, consumers now expect their beverages to serve a purpose, supporting immunity, mental wellbeing, gut health or overall vitality.

Ingredients such as vitamins, adaptogens, CBD, collagen and prebiotics are becoming more common, particularly in waters and enhanced soft drinks, all gaining traction in the US, Europe, and even China.These functional additions are often imperceptible in taste but carry strong lifestyle-signalling value. The cultural shift is reinforced by social media, where health-conscious consumption can be associated with identity and status.

In Europe, functional beverages have gained noticeable momentum over the past two years. While adoption remains more gradual in parts of the Middle East and Asia for example, product development is accelerating. Internal data reflects significant growth in SKUs printed at Crown since 2023 in beverages positioned around health or enhancement claims. The aluminium can has indeed become especially suited to this category, offering a consistently fresh drinking experience, and a modern look that makes it a popular choice for new brand launches.

Trip, offering low-calorie sparkling drinks infused with CBD and adaptogens for relaxation and balance, is one example of a disruptive brand in this space and is expanding globally. Similarly, botanical “modern soda” brand Moment has gained strong traction, becoming a top‑ranked wellness beverage on Amazon in the US, demonstrating how functional propositions resonate strongly with digitally native consumers.

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Alcohol Moderation: Category Convergence and Portfolio Complexity

The health and wellness movement aligns with another structural shift: alcohol moderation is becoming mainstream. Although cans show resilience and continue to outperform other substrates, the traditional beer market is stagnating or declining in several mature markets – including Europe, North America and Australasia – while non-alcoholic alternatives are driving category growth.

In Europe, almost one in five new beer labels printed at Crown over the past two years were non‑alcoholic options, while in the Middle East—where alcohol consumption is naturally lower—they accounted for as much as one third. In the US, pioneer brands are emerging, such as Athletic Brewing, becoming the first major craft-focused brewer to produce exclusively non-alcoholic beer. In a relatively short period, it has entered the top ten craft brewers nationally and continues to report double-digit year-on-year growth. The trend is so sufficiently mainstream that high-profile figures and celebrities are also surfing on the category, such as Tom Holland who launched his non-alcoholic beer brand, BERO, in late 2024.

The OECD has discussed the notion of a historical “alcohol peak”, reflecting broader moderation patterns which are fuelling growth in upscale non-alcoholic beverages focused on ritual, taste, and experience, rather than alcohol content. These products are no longer just substitutes; they are designed as distinct propositions.

Boundaries between alcohol and soft drinks are dissolving, with brands elevating their products through sophisticated packaging, sustainability credentials, and occasion-based positioning, creating a new diverse landscape. At the same time, many innovators are embracing a form of “zebra striping”, blending cues, rituals and flavour profiles from both alcoholic and non‑alcoholic worlds to create hybrid propositions that appeal across multiple occasions. Broadening the diversity of non or low alcoholic beverages is now key to satisfying demand.

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Intentional Drinking: Designing for Premium Consumption

As a consequence of these trends, ready-to-drink (RTD) cocktails—accelerated by at-home consumption during lockdowns—remains one of the fastest-growing beverage segments. According to NielsenIQ, the RTD market is deemed to become the fourth mega market category alongside beer, wine and spirits. The RTD market grew in 16 out of 20 monitored markets in 2024. Frequently packaged in cans, they benefit from format flexibility, portability and portion control. Smaller formats also align with moderation behaviours and offer more accessible price points.

A further illustration of format-led innovation can be seen in Brazil. The cachaça brand Matuta recognised the strategic relevance of cans and this January introduced Matuta Sabores, the first range of flavoured cachaças packaged in aluminium. The move modernised the category and aligned a traditional spirit with contemporary consumption habits.

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Upscaling: Elevating Experience Through Metal Packaging Design

Wellness, moderation and the expansion of RTDs create pressure for traditional beer brands. However, packaging provides an opportunity to respond and compete in a challenging market.

Consumers increasingly seek authenticity, regional identity and narrative depth. They are not only buying a product; they are buying into a story and a cultural proposition. Premiumisation is therefore closely linked to storytelling and visual impact.

The aluminium can creates the perfect branding surface offering optimum real estate for storytelling. It combines strong shelf visibility with advanced decorative techniques that enable texture, detail and limited editions. By creatively exposing the natural aluminium, brands can also achieve a distinctive, premium metallic effect that instantly communicates freshness and visual impact.

A perfect example is EFES Breweries International (EBI), a leading player in the Türkiye and West Asia beer market. EFES paid tribute to The Knight in the Panther’s Skin, a cornerstone of Georgian literature. Illustrations by Georgian artist David Matchavariani transformed these cans into cultural artefacts, while Augmented Reality tools extended the storytelling experience beyond the pack itself. In this case, the can functioned not merely as packaging but as a cultural platform.

Conclusion

Global beverage markets are fragmenting and upscaling simultaneously. Functional ingredients, alcohol moderation, hybrid formats and experiential positioning are reshaping competitive dynamics.

Cans connect with consumers seeking sensorial pleasure, cultural authenticity, and environmentally considered choices—all trends accelerating across global markets. They enable brands to signal purpose, premium quality and modernity in a single format, and can better equip them to navigate the next phase of beverage evolution.

As categories continue to blur between healthy functional drinks, low‑alcohol Ready-To-Drink, and emerging hybrid formats, brands that leverage the full creative potential of cans will be best placed to differentiate in an increasingly competitive space.