Brazil’s aluminium can story is not about how much it sells, but how much it gets back. For more than 15 years, recycling rates have stayed above 95 per cent, with the system hitting 100 per cent in 2022 and again in 2025. Even with a slight dip to 97.3 per cent in 2024 from 99.7 per cent in 2023, the country still sits among the global leaders-and that consistency underpins how the entire industry operates.
Against this backdrop, volumes have stayed close to record levels. In 2025, sales reached 34.1 billion units, the second-highest on record and just below the 34.8 billion cans sold in 2024. The stability in numbers, however, masks a gradual shift in how demand is evolving.
Beer and soft drinks, long the dominant categories, edged down during the year as consumers became more cautious with spending. They still account for the bulk of volumes, but they are no longer driving growth the way they once did.
Growth is instead coming from a broader mix. Canned water stood out with a 24 per cent rise over 2024, making it one of the fastest-growing segments despite its relatively small base. Ready-to-drink beverages, juices, energy drinks, and canned cachaça also moved higher, gradually altering the demand mix.
“We’ve moved from a market concentrated in two categories to one that mirrors increasingly fragmented consumption habits. Remaining above 34 billion units, even without support from beer and soft drinks, underscores the industry’s resilience,” said Cátilo Cândido, CEO of Abralatas.
The benefits of Brazil’s recycling system extend well beyond collection rates. More than 80 per cent of the aluminium sheets used in can production come from recycled material, supported by an energy mix where renewable sources dominate.
The impact is tangible. Recycling aluminium cans saves around 5,000 GWh of energy each year-roughly 1 per cent of the country’s electricity consumption. It also brings down emissions significantly, with an average 70 per cent reduction across the life cycle of aluminium cans.
Maintaining that system requires constant engagement. Abralatas has continued to run campaigns such as Cada Lata Conta (“Every Can Counts”), which focuses on the role of proper disposal in keeping aluminium in circulation without loss of quality.