India’s recent quality control standard introduced in April this year is causing a major shortage of aluminium beer cans and should be delayed until next year, says the country’s brewers’ association.
India’s brewers are increasingly alarmed by a significant aluminium can shortage that threatens to curtail sales and dent government revenue. The Brewers Association of India (BAI) has formally urged the government to postpone stringent quality-control rules that have, it contends, created a short-term supply bottleneck.
Under a Quality Control Order (QCO) introduced on 1 April 2025, all aluminium cans, whether domestically produced or imported, must carry certification from the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). The new order, aimed at improving standards and aligning with the country’s “Make in India” policy, has disrupted supply chains for both the beer and broader beverage-packaging industries, the BIA claims.
Consequently, India is currently facing an annual shortfall of more than 120 million 500 ml cans, roughly 20% of the country’s total beer sales volume, according to the BAI. The association warns that this shortfall could result in combined central and state revenue losses of between US$139 million and US$151 million due to reduced excise collections and sales.
Top domestic suppliers such as Ball Beverage Packaging India and Can Pack India have reportedly reached full capacity and estimate that it will take six to twelve months to commission new production lines. Meanwhile, imports are delayed because overseas manufacturers must obtain BIS certification before their cans can enter the Indian market. This process can take several months.
The BAI, which represents major brewers including AB InBev, Carlsberg and United Breweries, which together accounting for approximately 85% of India’s beer sales, has asked the government to defer the QCO implementation for imported cans until 1 April 2026. It has also requested that, in the interim, imports be allowed from foreign suppliers who have lodged BIS certification applications even if final approval is pending.
The timing of this shortage hits when India’s festival season is in full swing and will run through to December. The festive and summer seasons are key revenue periods for brewers and any disruption in can availability will likely ripple through the supply chain and impact consumer availability.
While the BAI recognises that the intent of the BIS certification regime is to ensure product quality and bolster domestic manufacturing, it argues that the premature imposition of the import certification requirement has outpaced the capacity of domestic aluminium can producers and failed to allow for seamless transition to BIS requirements and scaling up of production. The Association argues that a timely regulatory delay would help maintain supply continuity and avert potential shortages, without diluting quality standards.
