Wood Mackenzie analysis shows replacing plastic bottles with aluminium cans would require 99,000 tonnes of additional aluminium sheet stock

Research from Wood Mackenzie has found that replacing the 7.7 billion plastic water bottles a year with 7.7 billion cans would require 99,000 tonnes of additional aluminium sheet stock.

The analysis attempts to answer the question of whether aluminium can could replace plastic bottles.

Pieterjan Van Uytvanck, Wood Mackenzie Principal Analyst, said: “PET bottles consumption is increasing. As shown in our report on the EU’s single-use plastic directive, in Europe it’s now around 140 units per person, per year. In the US, it is 290 units.”

“Globally, around 57 per cent of these are collected, and political pressure will see that figure rise. One of the most ambitious targets of the EU directive is the call for 90 per cent of PET beverage bottles to be collected by 2029.but significant investment in new waste management infrastructure is needed to meet this goal.”

“However, collection doesn’t guarantee recycling. In the US, 70 per cent of the plastic collected for recycling goes to landfill, and it’s 30 per cent in the EU. Many argue that the real mission is to find a cleaner, greener alternative.”

“Aluminium is one contender. Coca-Cola’s Dasani waster brand, for example, will soon be available in cans as part of its efforts to reduce plastic waste.”

Uday Patel, fellow Wood Mackenzie Principle Analyst, said: “Brands offering cans of water could find a receptive market and it will be interesting to see how consumers respond over time.”

“However, our data shows a trend decline in the consumption of aluminium beverage packaging over the next ten years, except for a few emerging markets in Southeast Asia.”

“Meanwhile, PET bottle consumption is increasing, at global level and in most regionals. Healthy living is one important driver. Put simply, people are choosing a bottle of water over a can of fizzy drink.”

“The industry is changing too. Targets are being set across the value chain to improve collection and recyclability and maintain more of a closed loop.”