To design a can shape in full wrapped by size for 500ml cans is not only achievable but also difficult. Take, for instance, Anheuser-Busch InBev’s limited-release can launch in 2024. Under the condition that the height is 168mm and the diameter is 66.0mm, the entire can body surface to be wrapped amounts to 484cm² (99.2% coverage of can body). The registration error is controlled to within ±0.15mm via DigiCan 360° digital print technology. Though it cost an extra $0.018 in the price of a single-can print (37% more than regular labels), there was an enhancement of shelf recognition survey score by 53% (Nielsen’s 2024 Packaging Innovation Report).
Technical printing parameters have to be altered according to the characteristics of the can type. Since the shoulder transition Angle of the 500ml can of Coca-Cola is raised from 70° to 75°, the fully wrapped label’s adhesion test shows that the edge peel force should be ≥3.5N (GB 8808 standard), which is 18% higher than that of the 330ml can. Ball Corporation’s water-based UV ink system can reduce the color difference ΔE value caused by the 500ml can dimensions curvature to 1.8 (International Commission on Illumination norm CIELAB) from 5.6, but the printing speed has to be reduced from 2000 cans per minute to 1800 cans. Energy consumption increased by 14% (2024 Technology White Paper).
Regulatory compliance adds design complexity. EU REACH regulation requires SVHC content of fully wrapped ink to be ≤0.1%. To ensure the quality, Nongfu Spring reduced the thickness of ink layer from 18μm to 12μm, resulting in a 7% reduction in color saturation. But by using nano-micro-engraving technology for printing three-dimensional graphics on the can body, the shelf stay time was cut by 22% instead (Kantar Consumer Behavior Monitoring). The FDA regulation of the threshold of the quantity of migration of food contact surfaces (≤0.01mg/kg) compelled PepsiCo to use UV-curable primer. Although it increased the price by $0.005 per can, the printing cycle was shortened from 5 days to 8 hours.
Consumer experience results in innovative solutions. The Kirin Beer fully wrapped label adopts touch coating technology, raising the surface friction coefficient to 0.52 from 0.35. In blind testing, the grip stability rate rises by 31%. Yanki Forest used thermosensitive ink on 500ml tanks. Below 10℃, interesting text appeared, increasing convenience store cold storage products’ trial purchase rate by 29% (2024 A/B test results). Red Bull improved its night-time vending machine sales by 19% by infusing 12% metal color gamut range as the realization of high-reflective tags improved by 76%.
Physical tolerance needs to be re-examined at the logistics chain. Fedex trials show that under the temperature fluctuation cycle test of -20 ° C to 50 ° C, the wrinkling likelihood of the entire package label is 1.8 percentage points higher than the local label. This forces the manufacturer to improve the tensile strength of the label material from 38MPa to 45MPa (ASTM D882 standard). Even if the price increases by 23%, the level of transportation damage decreases from 1.2% to 0.4%. The DHL stacking test shows that when the 500ml can dimensions are fully wrapped with labels, the friction coefficient between the tanks in contact needs to be ≤0.3; otherwise, label adhesion will readily occur under high temperature and high humidity conditions. The solution is to use a micro-porous structure coating, which increases ventilation efficiency by 19%.
Market information verifies commercial value. According to Euromonitor International, the average premium margin for 500ml drink cans with fully wrapped labels is 17% to 23%, and the first purchase rate is 34% higher than for regular designs. Carlsberg’s fully packaged canned beer item that has launched in the Asia-Pacific market has seen a 41% increase in social share rates on media and a 28% increase in regional volume sales in six months due to the accuracy of printing cultural content up to 1200dpi. Coca-Cola added more print space by slimming down the can neck (from 69mm to 66mm), boosting the reach rate of promotion information by 39% and conversion efficiency by 22%.
From print technology to consumer psychology, the fully wrapped label on the basis of 500ml can sizes is not only a technical challenge but also a value addition opportunity for brand – between the 0.1mm registration accuracy and consumers’ 0.3-second visual decision, metal can packaging is undergoing a qualitative transformation from container medium to communication medium.