800 million cans ensure aerosols are energetic

Harrishh Arora, who is the honorary secretary and vice president for the Aerosols Promotion Council said, “The Indian aerosol market is experiencing growth, driven by consumer behaviour especially among the Gen Z, rising disposable income, and an increasing focus on sustainability. With an annual growth rate of approximately eight per cent, the domestic aerosol market, valued at USD 634.9-million in 2023, is projected to surpass USD one-billion by 2031. This growth, Arora said, is fueled by the expansion of the personal care, industrial, and FMCG sectors.

Arora shared the case-study of Fogg which was marketed as "a deodorant without gas". This, Arora said enabled company Vini Cosmetics deliver more sprays per can. In this way, Fogg targeted the Gen Z pain-point of more deo for less money. Today, the brand helms the deodorant market and has toppled leaders like Axe and WildStone.

The key to Fogg's success was locating a manufacturer whose area of expertise was non-aerosol pumps that regulated the flow. This ensured no wastage of the deo. As Arora said, "The non-aerosol pump ensured that the Fogg deodorant lasted double the time of the other deo brands." Later the group launched iconic consumer brands like Livon, Moov and Krack. All backed by a high-decibel campaign and an additional non-aerosol pump which ensured that the Fogg deodorant lasted for 40 days, in comparison to 20 days for their competitors.  

Bhogilal Patel, president of the Aerosols Promotion Council said, “International companies are seeking joint ventures, marketing alliances, bulk deals and/or seeking partners for contract manufacturing in India.” Later, while talking to WhatPackaging? magazine he spotlighted a few key trends. Patel said, "The aerosol community is moving towards green propellent and today many products need to be reformulated using different propellent." Patel pointed out that in addition to green propellent, the world is moving towards microdosing and spraying small amounts. It can be anti-septics, shaving cream, paints, industrial solvents, antibiotics, automotive sprays, and insecticides.

India introduced aerosols in 1966. As Patel said, it took a couple of decades for India to gain ascendancy in aerosol manufacturing. In 1972, the annual consumption of aerosols was approximately 10-million cans. Today it has notched 800-million cans.

Bharat Containers won the Packaging Converter of the Year award at PrintWeek Awards 2024 for their exceptional quality. Hemant Kanoria, the chairman and managing director of the Nagpur-based company said, "Deliveries have grown across all the major industries, driven by strong demand, particularly from toiletries, pharmaceuticals, industrial applications, maintenance, painting and automotive. Products like deodorants and body sprays have reported healthy growth. Traditional methods that relied on hands, brushes or spray guns are being replaced by aerosols. This has reduced waste and mess."

During the conference on day one of the expo, a presentation quoted data from the International Organisation of Aluminium Aerosol Can Manufacturers (AEROBAL) which reported worldwide deliveries of 6.75-billion units in 2024. Compared to the previous year, this represents a 4.2% increase. This growth is driven by demand across market segments, including personal care and cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, as well as food and household products.

Other than growth, the industry is working to ensure that aerosols meet the highest environmental and sustainability goals. The focus on recyclability and compliance remains a top priority. As Patel said, the key is the industry’s commitment to high-quality, sustainable packaging solutions.