Beverage can
![The stay-tab opening mechanism characteristic of most drinking cans since the mid-1980s. The 'wide-mouth' version, seen here, was introduced in the late 1990s.](/Images/godic/202502/07/Drinking_can_ring-pull_tab1657.jpg")
![A pull tab from the 1970s.](/Images/godic/202502/07/Beverage_pull_tab1657.jpg")
![Aluminum cans pressed into blocks for recycling](/Images/godic/202502/07/Pressed-cans1657.jpg")
![Old beer can showing punches from a churchkey](/Images/godic/202502/07/Punched_beer_can1657.jpg")
A beverage can is a metal container designed to hold a fixed portion of liquid such as carbonated soft drinks, alcoholic beverages, fruit juices, teas, herbal teas, energy drinks, etc. Beverage cans are made of aluminum (75% of worldwide production) or tin-plated steel (25% worldwide production). Worldwide production for all beverage cans is approximately 370 billion cans per year worldwide.