The Brazilian canmaking sector expects steady growth for 2023 on the back of demand for aluminium cans that is stronger than other packaging formats, says local trade body Abralatas.
Chief executive Cátilo Cândido told The Canmaker that “there were many advances in the aluminium can sector in Brazil in 2022”.
“We went through a ‘year of adjustments’ after so much growth and high recycling rates. In 2022, we were working on achieving more efficiency in our production chain, in addition to the expansion and construction of new factories,” said Cândido.
“It was also a year in which we celebrated important regulatory advances in Brazilian environmental policies, aimed at improving and stimulating solid waste management.”
He added that the industry has strengthened its partnership with waste collectors to better understand the impact of these new regulations in the recycling sector in Brazil.
It was also a year in which many products made their debut in metal packaging, including water, wine and ready-to-drink beverages. “We now have more than 20 products [packaged in cans], 10 years ago we had just a few,” added Cândido.
Abralatas continued its educational work and investments related to recycling projects and initiatives, which contributed to Brazil’s impressive 98.7% recycling rate of used beverage cans.
“[This is] an achievement that highlights the seriousness in which we operate on the ESG agenda and that allowed us to end the year generating income for more than 800,000 people living off this activity in the country”.
According to analysts at Abralatas, in recent years there has been a transformation in the behaviour of Brazilian consumers, which resulted in significant growth in the consumption of beverages packaged in cans.
A vast range is now available in more sustainable metal packaging, including wine, sparkling wine, whiskey, coffee, isotonic drinks and the traditional Brazilian spirit cachaça.
According to Abralatas, per capita consumption in Brazil is currently 151 cans per year, and there are opportunities to grow this figure further this year.
Cândido said that Abralatas will continue to promote awareness about the importance of can recycling, in addition to taking a more active stance on sustainability issues within the sector.
As part of these plans, particular attention will be paid to further accelerating the activities of waste collectors’ cooperatives in Brazil.
