Bank of America reviewed Nielsen scanner data for the week ended July 25, 2026 and identified persistent market-share gains for aluminum cans in beverage packaging.
Top-line volume movements
Non-alcoholic beverage volumes increased 0.7% in the four-week period. Within packaging formats, aluminum cans rose 2.6% year-over-year in the most recent four weeks, 1.3% over 13 weeks, and 2.2% over 52 weeks. Glass packaging contracted 4.5% over the last four weeks, compared with a 5.9% decline over 13 weeks and a 2.2% decrease over 52 weeks. Plastic packaging showed a 0.2% gain in the last four weeks, versus a 1.3% decline over 13 weeks and a 0.7% drop over 52 weeks.
Category-level trends
Canned carbonated soft drinks recorded a 3.6% increase over the last four weeks, compared with 1.8% over 13 weeks and 1.6% over 52 weeks. Carbonated soft drinks in plastic fell 4.1% over four weeks, matching the 4.1% decline over 52 weeks.
Canned energy drinks increased 4.4% over the last four weeks, 3.8% over 13 weeks and 7.9% year-over-year over 52 weeks. Water in plastic bottles grew 1.5% in the last four weeks, up from 0.2% over 13 weeks and 1.0% over 52 weeks.
Alcoholic beverage packaging
Alcoholic beverage volumes fell in the mid-single digits year-over-year across the four-week, 13-week and 52-week horizons. Canned alcoholic beverages decreased 1.6% year-over-year in the latest four weeks, versus declines of 2.0% over 13 weeks and 1.7% over 52 weeks. Glass packaging for alcoholic beverages declined 6.2% over the last four weeks, compared with 7.2% over 13 weeks and 6.7% over 52 weeks.
Additional subcategory notes
Non-alcoholic beer in cans rose 11.6% over the last four weeks versus 17.9% over 52 weeks. Non-alcoholic beer in glass bottles increased 15.3% over the last four weeks and 6.3% over 52 weeks. Imported canned beer grew 6.1% over the last four weeks, versus 4.6% over 13 weeks and 2.0% over 52 weeks.
Interpretation
The data show a clear directional shift in packaging use within the beverage aisle during the reported intervals, with aluminum cans outpacing glass and generally performing better than plastic across the most recent four-week window. At the same time, alcoholic beverage volumes are weakening on a year-over-year basis across short, medium and annual horizons.
Data source
The statistics cited above are from Bank of America analysis of Nielsen scanner data for the week ended July 25, 2026.