CBAM has a direct impact on costs, supply and competitiveness for manufacturers of steel packaging in the food sector. With its full entry into force at the start of 2026, it’s no longer possible to ignore it.
Let’s look at what’s actually changing for the metal packaging supply chain and how businesses can prepare.
H2 What CBAM is and why it matters for steel food packaging
The Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) is the mechanism through which the European Union applies the same carbon price to imported goods as that paid by European producers under the ETS (the EU’s tool for regulating corporate emissions). The mechanism aims to prevent non-EU companies from competing on the back of more permissive environmental regulations.
Among the sectors covered from the outset are iron, steel and aluminium: materials that are also strategic for food packaging, where steel (particularly tinplate) is one of the primary packaging materials, considering that 72% of metal packaging production in Italy (by tonnage) is made up of steel packaging (source: ItaliaImballaggio).
H2 CBAM and food packaging: what’s new in 2026
2026 marks the shift from the transitional phase to the definitive regime.
From 1 January 2026, a single threshold of 50 tonnes of CBAM goods imported annually has been introduced; once exceeded, businesses are required to obtain authorised CBAM declarant status before continuing imports, or face penalties.
Companies that exceed this threshold must also purchase CBAM certificates corresponding to the emissions embedded in imported products and demonstrate actual emissions data through external verification.
At the same time, the European Commission is also considering measures to protect European exporters of CBAM goods, in order to limit the risk of carbon leakage towards non-EU markets.
H2 Effects on the supply chain: tinplate and metal packaging under pressure
The effects are already visible in the figures. In the first quarter of 2026, European tinplate imports fell by around 25% compared with the same period in 2025, partly due to advance purchasing in the second half of 2025, when importers bought material to cover part of their 2026 requirements and avoid CBAM-related risks.
The European tinplate market (and, as a result, the food packaging market) is going through a phase of declining production and consumption, while imports from non-EU countries (particularly China) continue to grow: their share rose from an average of 40% in 2014-2021 to over 60% in 2023, with Italy recording a share of non-EU imports above 50% over the past three years, compared with a European average of around 30%.
According to industry operators, this creates asymmetric competitive conditions: finished products imported from abroad are not subject to the same regulatory constraints and CBAM-related costs applied to raw materials processed in Europe.
H2 Steel food packaging: between sustainability and non-EU competition
For the food packaging industry, particularly in the canned food sector, tinplate remains irreplaceable thanks to its performance and 100% recyclability.
Several food companies continue to invest in steel packaging, consolidating in-house production, but are not hiding their concerns about possible price increases linked to CBAM, especially given very high consumption volumes.
According to industry operators, the real turning point will be 2027, when the mechanism is expected to become fully operational.
H2 How to prepare: strategies for can manufacturers and metal packaging producers
To navigate this new scenario, businesses across the metal packaging supply chain need to act on several fronts:
- Check import volumes against the single 50-tonne annual threshold, to determine whether the authorisation requirement applies;
- Apply for authorised CBAM declarant status in good time, to avoid exposure to penalties;
- Set up emissions data collection processes with non-EU suppliers of steel and tinplate, ahead of mandatory external verification;
- Consider diversifying sourcing, favouring European supply chains or lower-carbon-footprint suppliers;
- Keep track of regulatory developments on special customs regimes (such as inward processing) and any measures introduced to protect exporters.
Turning CBAM compliance into a competitive advantage, rather than simply absorbing it as an added cost, will be decisive for the resilience of the steel packaging sector in the years ahead.