Why slim soda cans are everywhere

New York (CNN) Suddenly, your drink is getting longer.

Beverage brands depend on the shape and design of packaging to attract consumers. Now they’re banking on a new batch of slim aluminum cans to subtly signal to consumers that their exotic new beverage is healthier than the beers and sodas in the old short round cans.

Topo ChicoAnd Simply And Sunny D Recently launched liqueurs and cocktails in tall and thin cans, while Day One, Celsius and Starbucks Sparkling water and energy drinks debuted in new slim cans. Coke with Coffee launched in a slimmed down version last year as well.

as describing a person,ball (bll)one of the largest producers of aluminum cans, highlights “Shorter and Leaner Physique” from 12 oz. Sleek cans compared to its classic version (also 12 ounce).

Beverage manufacturers aim to differentiate their products Crowded shelves And save money on shipping and packaging by using tight-fitting cans, analysts and beverage makers say.

“Consumers see skinny cans as more complex, which makes them feel more sophisticated,” said Duane Stanford, editor of industry trade magazine Beverage Digest. “For the people who spend $3 for a mushroom elixir, they want the package to refer to fashion, too.”

aluminum cans

Soft drinks appeared in cans as early as 1938, but the first aluminum beverage was used in diet cola called “Slyndrella” in 1963, according to Can Manufacturers Institute, trade association. By 1967, Pepsi and Coke followed suit.

Traditionally, beverage companies have opted for the 12-oz. Squat model to allow more space to advertise the contents of their beverage on the body of the can with colorful details and logos.

The companies have even been criticized for switching to slim case models. In 2011, PepsiCo released a “taller and stronger” version of its traditional can. The box, which was presented at New York Fashion Week, bore the slogan: “The New Skinny.” It was widely criticized as offensive and the National Eating Disorders Association said the company’s comments were “reckless and irresponsible”.

So why bring them back now? Partly this is because slim cases are seen as both premium and innovative. An increasing number of beverages are catering to health-driven consumers, and slim cans point to these characteristics.

The companies are copying the success of other brands’ slim cans. Red Bull was one of the first brands to popularize thin cans, and White Claw found success by using solid filter liquid in thin white cans.

Aluminum cans, regardless of size, are better for the environment than plastic, said Judith Ink, former regional director of the Environmental Protection Agency and current president of Beyond Plastics. It can be made from recycled materials and can be recycled more easily. If they do splatter, she said, they don’t pose the same risks as plastic.

There is also a commercial incentive for slim designs.

Brands can squeeze more than 12 oz. More skinny cans are on store shelves, pallets and trucks than wider cans, said Dave Fedewa, a partner at McKinsey who advises retail and consumer packaged goods companies. This means increased sales and cost savings.

But Fedewa said the key is that slim cans catch the eye: “It’s funny how much growth can drive retail.”