The global Fiber-Based Can Carriers Market is projected to grow from USD 440.8 million in 2026 to USD 908.5 million by 2036, registering a 7.5% CAGR during the forecast period, according to Future Market Insights.
Fiber-based can carriers are gaining attention as beverage producers look for alternatives to plastic bundling without changing the underlying metal can. This allows packaging teams to focus the conversion on the secondary multipack system while retaining established primary packaging formats.
The shift is also being influenced by producer-responsibility requirements and packaging recovery targets. California’s SB 54 framework, for example, requires covered packaging to become recyclable or compostable by 2032 while establishing a 25% single-use plastic reduction requirement.
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Clip-Cluster Carriers Lead Product Demand
Clip-cluster carriers are projected to account for 34.0% of the market in 2026.
Their compact locking structure can secure cans while leaving the primary package visible. The format can also support automated application on high-volume beverage lines.
For beverage manufacturers, however, the carrier must remain stable at the intended can diameter and production speed. Retention performance becomes especially important when products move through refrigerated distribution.
Graphic Packaging International demonstrated EnviroClip can multipack solutions with the AutoClip SC125 application system at PACK EXPO in September 2025, highlighting the growing connection between carrier design and application equipment.
Recycled Paperboard Holds a 48.0% Share
Recycled paperboard is expected to represent 48.0% of material demand in 2026.
Established converting routes make recycled paperboard attractive for applications requiring reliable cutting, printing and material recovery. However, chilled beverage distribution introduces another qualification requirement.
Condensation can affect fiber structures around locking points. Packaging engineers therefore need to evaluate stiffness, tear behavior and retention under actual distribution conditions rather than relying solely on material specifications.
The commercial decision increasingly connects board selection with the recovery route, producer fees and filling-line performance.
Six-Pack Formats Remain the Leading Configuration
The 6-pack format is forecast to account for 42.0% of pack-size demand in 2026.
Six-packs provide a practical balance between portability, shelf presentation and carrier load. Their established configuration can also simplify machine settings across mainstream beer and soft-drink programs.
Beer and cider are projected to account for 40.0% of application demand in 2026. These products face frequent retail handling and chilled distribution, making carrier retention particularly important.
The Brewers Association reported that aluminum cans represented 78% of packaged craft beer volume in 2025, providing a substantial installed can base for secondary multipack packaging.
Moisture Resistance Remains a Key Qualification Barrier
Fiber substitution is not simply a material replacement exercise.
A carrier that performs well in dry warehouse conditions may lose retention after refrigeration or condensation exposure. Wet-strength treatments can help, but they can also complicate recyclability classification.
This creates a qualification challenge for beverage packaging teams.
A carrier must demonstrate:
- Stable retention after refrigeration
- Compatibility with intended can diameter
- Reliable application at commercial line speeds
- Acceptable board stiffness and tear performance
- Compatibility with the documented recovery route
- Consistent supply across recurring production programs
Nandini Roy Choudhury, Principal Consultant at Future Market Insights, explains:
“Fiber can carriers should be screened first for retention after refrigeration at the intended can diameter and line speed. Beverage plants should then compare board choice with applicator settings and changeover support because qualification cost appears in downtime as well as material spend.”
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Producer-Responsibility Rules Strengthen the Business Case
Regulatory developments are making secondary packaging selection more commercially significant.
In the United Kingdom, PackUK published 2025–2026 base fees of GBP 196 per tonne for paper and card compared with GBP 423 per tonne for plastic. Such differences create a direct material-cost signal for beverage companies considering plastic substitution.
The UK fiber-based can carrier market is forecast to grow at 8.0% CAGR, the fastest rate among the profiled countries.
Germany and Brazil are both projected to grow at 7.2% CAGR, followed by the United States at 6.8% and Japan at 5.9%.
Each market presents different qualification and recovery conditions.
Competitive Landscape
The market includes Graphic Packaging International, Smurfit Westrock, Amcor, Mondi, International Paper, Stora Enso, PakCan, and Atlantic Corporation of Wilmington.
Graphic Packaging International and Smurfit Westrock combine carrier formats with application-system capabilities for high-throughput beverage lines. Amcor, Mondi, International Paper and Stora Enso bring broader fiber-converting and board capabilities across regional packaging networks.
PakCan and Atlantic Corporation of Wilmington serve smaller beverage programs with flexible application support.
Recent developments include Atlantic Corporation’s Fishbone paperboard beverage carriers reaching North American retail shelves in December 2025. Stora Enso also began production ramp-up at its Oulu consumer-board line in March 2025, targeting beverage multipack applications.
Outlook
The Fiber-Based Can Carriers Market is moving toward packaging systems that combine fiber substitution, reliable can retention, application compatibility and documented recovery pathways.
For beverage manufacturers, successful conversion will depend less on simply replacing plastic and more on proving that the fiber carrier performs under real filling, refrigeration and distribution conditions.
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About Future Market Insights (FMI)
Future Market Insights, Inc. is an ESOMAR-certified, ISO 9001:2015 market research and consulting organization trusted by Fortune 500 companies. With a global presence across the U.S., UK, India, and Dubai, FMI delivers data-driven insights across 30+ industries and 1200 markets worldwide.
