From:Packaging News

Cans for carbonated soft drinks (CSDs) deliveries increased by over 400m units (1.7%) this year.

Industry trade body The Can Makers highlighted figures showing 2.592bn deliveries in the first half of this year.

Nielsen data, which shows year to date retail sales to June 20th 2015, has revealed can growth of 7.1% by volume, well ahead of the total CSD market, which increased by 1.3%.

Cans have increased total market share in the CSD sector, while PET saw decline driven by the poor performance of larger sizes.

Beer and cider results for the same period in 2014 were influenced heavily by the World Cup, a lack of large-scale sporting events in 2015 has had an impact on performance for all pack types.

Smaller size cans – 330ml cans, a pack of choice for independently brewed beers in the UK, are proving popular, increasing by 18% across the Nielsen universe.

Martin Constable, chairman of the Can Makers, said it was good to see a resilient market despite the lack of big sporting events which bolster sales.

“Strong performance of 330ml cans for beers is also encouraging. It proves that the unique benefits of the drinks can are being recognised by brewers and consumers alike. Since the Indie Beer Can Festival in 2014, we’ve seen a huge increase in the number of beers in cans as more lines and mobile canning facilities open up the many possibilities to discerning audiences.”