This week on The Packaging Today Show, we’re tackling a seismic shift in the CPG world: skyrocketing metal‑packaging prices driven by U.S. tariffs — and how brands are scrambling to re‑engineer their grocery‑aisle packaging from steel and aluminum cans to stand‑up pouches, paper cartons, and other alternatives.
We’ll dig into:
How the doubling of tariffs on imported steel and aluminum to 50% has forced metal‑packaging costs to spike in the U.S. by as much as 10–15%.
Why can manufacturers and food brands are now eyeing materials like aseptic cartons, foil pouches, and flexible plastics — not just for sustainability, but for cost containment.
The hidden downstream effects for packaging: retooling machinery, changing supply chains, and redesigning pack formats (which often means higher initial CAPEX).
What this downtime actually means for packaging designers, engineers, and brand buyers — from format performance trade‑offs to consumer perception and shelf impact.
Whether this shift is purely reactive to tariffs or genuinely heralding a longer‑term structural change in packaging material use.
Tips for managing this transition: how to assess material alternatives, align packaging strategy with cost curves, and design for both brand and unit‑economics in this new era.
If you’re in the packaging game — or advising brands facing packaging upheaval — this episode gives you a frontline seat to the change happening now.
Subscribe, comment with your questions, and come ready to rethink what happens inside the grocery aisle.
Work with guys:
Evelio - https://www.IDPdirect.com
Cory - https://www.atlanticpkg.com
Adam - http://www.TheLabelKing.com
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