Six of the eight metal packaging materials rose over three months, and the two that fell are both aluminium. As of 4 November 2026, the family averages +0.5% over three months, a touch above the 0.4% for packaging as a whole, and +6.5% over a year, against 5.7%.
Aerosol cans lead with +1.6%, ahead of steel cans at +1.4%, beverage cans at +1.2% and collapsible tubes at +1.0%. Steel pails gained 0.7% and steel drums 0.3%. Steel cans, second over three months, are up just 0.3% on the year, the smallest annual rise in the family.
Aluminium foil fell 1.8% over three months and the foil & tubes line 0.5%. Over twelve months, they are the family's two biggest risers, at +15.0% and +12.6%, well ahead of collapsible tubes at +6.8% and beverage cans at +5.2%.
The beverage can note, dated 2 November, reports that US lawmakers called on 24 August for an investigation into the Midwest Premium, which had pushed up beverage-can costs. On 21 September, Canadian drinks makers were reported to be moving can orders to China following cost increases linked to US tariffs. In Spain, a deposit system covering cans and bottles was being prepared.
The aluminium foil note of the same date centres on battery demand. It reports that South Korea's aluminium foil imports reached a multi-year high in the year to July 2026, mostly supplied by China, amid growing battery demand, and that September aluminium foil exports hit their second-highest level of the year, driven by Mexico and the UAE.
Steel drums, pails and cans, beverage and aerosol cans, aluminium foil and collapsible tubes make up the family.