Aluminum can shortage?

There is an aluminum can shortage in North America thanks to the Covid-19 pandemic. The shortage is primarily due to people staying at home and imbibing soda pop and beer in aluminum cans as opposed to going to restaurants, pubs and bars. Beer and soda pop on tap in restaurants and bars don’t utilize cans.

It has been reported that Molson Coors, Brooklyn Brewery, and Karl Strauss have moved production away from the smaller brands in response to the shortage in order that their flagship brands won’t run out of stock.

Like toilet paper, when the pandemic struck, people began to stockpile cans of beer and soda pop – probably because they are easier to stack and store than bottles. Soda pop manufacturers are focusing on their main brands to keep them in stock. Some are switching to plastic bottles to satisfy demand.

“The aluminum beverage can manufacturing industry has seen unprecedented demand for this environmentally-friendly container prior to and especially during the COVID-19 pandemic,” the Aluminum Association told USA Today.

“Aluminum cans are in very tight supply with so many people buying more multi-pack products to consume at home,” Coca-Cola spokesperson Ann Moore told USA Today.

According to the Can Manufacturers Institute, “Many new beverages are coming to market in cans and other long-standing can customers are moving away from plastic bottles due to ongoing environmental concerns around plastic pollution. Consumers also appear to be favoring the portability and storability cans as they spend more time at home.” The Can Manufacturers Institute said that their industry was “working 24/7” in an attempt to meet the current demand for canned drinks.