The canning market in France

Canned food is defined as a food substance preserved in an airtight container. The canning market encompasses all players in the sector: from manufacturers of metal packaging (aluminum, metal) to canning manufacturers (vegetables, fish, ready meals, fruit, meat, etc.).

The global canned food market is expected to grow at a rapid rate of 3.86% p.a. over the period 2023-2027 [MordorIntelligence], driven mainly by rising demand in the Asia-Pacific region. In Europe, the French market remains the continent's leader , with a penetration rate close to 100% and nearly 50 kilos of canned food consumed per household every year[La conserve]. However, market erosion in terms of volume, particularly for private labels, and an ageing customer base have prompted the aseptic canning industry to react.

Major players in the sector include d'Aucy, Bonduelle, Cassegrain, Géant Vert and Petit Navire.

The French canned food market, whether for vegetables or fish, plays an essential role in the daily diet, driven by deeply rooted consumer habits and a diversity of offers to suit all budgets. In 2023, canned food consumption remains almost universal, with 99% of regular consumers and an annual average of 40 kilos per person, testifying to its accessibility, practicality and central role in a balanced household diet. This solid demand is accompanied by a slight improvement in the trade balance, with the deficit falling from -75 millioneuros in 2023 to -61 million euros in 2024, thanks to higher exports and lower imports, although France remains a net importer.

Consumer preferences reflect clear hierarchies: in canned fish, tuna dominates with 88% of fans, followed by sardines(75%) and mackerel(62%), revealing a strong attachment to certain flagship products, often chosen for their culinary versatility and consensual taste. Purchasing motivations are largely guided by practicality: ease of preservation(61%), storage(57%) and time-saving(51%), complemented by criteria of availability and variety, such as access throughout the year.tion, such as year-round access to favorite products(37%) or vegetables unavailable fresh(21%).

Canned food distribution is concentrated mainly in hypermarkets and supermarkets, which together account for almost 70% of the value of vegetables (38% and 30% respectively in 2024) and 66.5% of fish (36.4% and 30.1% in 2025). E-commerce continues to grow, driven by online generalists, while EDMPs are gaining ground, particularly on fish(13.5%), a sign of heightened price sensitivity. Local channels and specialists account for smaller shares, but reflect targeted demand for quick purchases or specific products.

Brittany stands out as a key region, both as the leading production basin for processed vegetables destined for export, and as the historic cradle of fish canning in France. Although the number of canning factories has fallen sharply - from 70 in Douarnenez in 1945 to just 3 today - due to international competition, technical innovation and stricter legislation, the region retains a structuring role in the industry.

On the economic front, price trends show an upward trend: the production index for canned fish and fish products has risen from 108.53 in 2018 to 133.5 in 2024, with a growth peak between 2021 and 2023 (+18.97), reflecting both pressure on costs and product enhancement. Against this backdrop, the canned food market appears both solid and in a state of flux, buoyed by consumer loyalty, diversified distribution channels and historic industrial know-how, but facing challenges in terms of competitiveness and adaptation to new food trends.