Respack: Call for localisation, cost innovation in metal packaging

At a panel discussion on "Metal Packaging – Brand Owners Perspective", held during Respack 2026, leading FMCG and food sector packaging professionals highlighted both the strengths and challenges of metal packaging in India. While the panellists acknowledged metal’s unmatched barrier properties, recyclability and premium appeal, they also called for greater localisation, cost optimisation and user-friendly innovations to drive wider adoption.

Moderated by Anirban Dasgupta, head of sales – tinplate at Tata Steel, the session brought together representatives from Nestlé India, Britannia Industries, Danone, and Holyland Marketing.

Opening the discussion, Manish Yadav, category lead (dairy) – packaging at Britannia Industries, outlined the technical advantages that make metal packaging attractive for food and beverage applications.

According to Yadav, no product is tied to a single packaging format, and packaging selection must be based on a holistic assessment of product needs. He said metal packaging offers superior moisture, light and gas barrier properties, particularly when combined with retort processing, enabling significantly longer shelf life. He also highlighted metal’s ability to be recycled indefinitely and its strength advantages over glass, especially in transportation and handling.

Yadav noted that consumers often associate metal packaging with a more premium experience, citing beverage cans as an example where packaging can influence perceptions of freshness and quality.

However, for brand owners, performance advantages alone do not eliminate supply chain concerns.

Biswajit Basu, senior manager – packaging development at Nestle India, used the forum to outline several challenges faced by food companies dependent on metal packaging.

Basu described metal packaging as a highly precision-driven format where even small dimensional variations can disrupt production lines. Unlike paper or plastic packaging, which may allow some flexibility in specifications, metal components often require exact tolerances.

As a result, brand owners are increasingly being forced to secure supplies months in advance. Basu said companies are now booking material requirements as much as six months ahead and, in some cases, committing capital upfront to guarantee availability.

He also pointed to the emergence of what he termed a “two-speed market”, where countries such as China have built substantial domestic manufacturing capabilities while many other regions continue to depend on imports for specialised components.

Basu urged greater investment in local manufacturing of critical metal packaging components, particularly easy-open ends and specialised closures that are currently imported.

“Localisation of components is always welcome,” he said, adding that brand owners are willing to support suppliers investing in Indian manufacturing capabilities.

Looking ahead, Basu identified lightweighting as one of the most important innovation trends in metal packaging. With raw material and energy costs continuing to rise, reducing metal usage without compromising performance has become a key objective.

“Every gram of metal creates a cost,” he said, emphasising that even marginal reductions in material consumption can generate significant savings across large production volumes.

He highlighted innovations aimed at improving strength-to-weight ratios while maintaining sealing performance, top-load strength and pressure resistance.

The conversation then shifted to procurement and cost considerations.

Vishal Poojara, senior manager – packaging at Danone AMEA, argued that metal packaging often loses procurement battles when evaluated solely on unit cost.

According to Poojara, procurement teams must move beyond short-term cost comparisons and assess packaging through the lens of total cost of ownership.

Factors such as shelf life extension, reduced product wastage, improved product quality and greater supply chain reliability should be incorporated into decision-making, he said.

“When the discussion shifts from unit cost to a three-year horizon, the value proposition of metal packaging becomes much clearer,” Poojara noted.

The Danone executive also addressed the growing gap between global sustainability mandates and local market realities.

He argued that packaging strategies developed for mature Western markets are not always directly applicable in developing economies such as India and Southeast Asia.

While consumer safety and product quality standards should remain globally consistent, packaging specifications and sustainability approaches must account for local infrastructure and market conditions.

Poojara pointed to India's strong informal metal recycling ecosystem as an example of a sustainability advantage that often goes unrecognised because it is not fully captured in formal reporting systems.

“Metal recycling in India is far more mature than it is often given credit for,” he said.

The final perspective came from Dr Sanjay Goyal, chief procurement officer at Holyland Marketing, one of India's major processors and exporters of canned fruits and vegetables.

While acknowledging the durability and reliability of metal packaging, Goyal highlighted several practical concerns that are prompting companies to explore alternative formats.

He cited issues such as rusting in certain storage environments, challenges in handling cans in commercial kitchens and concerns around user convenience.

For products such as tomato puree, ketchup and mushrooms, Holyland is evaluating alternative packaging solutions that may offer advantages in handling, logistics and aesthetics while remaining cost-effective and sustainable.

At the same time, Goyal recognised that some products, including canned pineapple, continue to rely on metal packaging because of their specific preservation requirements.

The discussion concluded with broad agreement that metal packaging remains one of the most technically robust packaging formats available. However, its future growth in India will depend on addressing key challenges around supply security, localisation, cost competitiveness and consumer convenience.

For brand owners, the message was clear: metal packaging’s strengths are well established, but continued innovation and collaboration across the value chain will be essential to unlock its full potential.