Breweries in Belarus are facing a shortage of beverage cans, as sanctions bite the country, which is a close ally of Russia. The crisis has disrupted production for major breweries, forcing them to scale back operations or seek alternative packaging solutions amid dwindling supplies.​

Sanctions imposed on Belarus and its key trading partners have severed traditional supply chains for metal packaging materials. Local can manufacturers, dependent on imported steel coils and production equipment, now struggle to maintain output. One major brewer reported a 30% reduction in canned beer production, with stocks of empty cans expected to run out within weeks. "We're operating on a skeleton schedule," said a production manager at Minsk Brewery, "and plastic bottles can't replace the shelf stability of cans."

The shortage has rippled through the Belarusian beverage industry, impacting not only beer but also soft drinks and energy drinks. Small craft breweries are particularly vulnerable, with limited resources to source cans from overseas. Some have resorted to bottling or kegging, but these options carry higher costs and logistical challenges. Meanwhile, retailers report empty shelves in the canned beverage aisle, with consumers increasingly turning to imported products.​

Experts warn the crisis could deepen as global metal prices rise and shipping routes remain constrained. Belarusian authorities have hinted at state-backed initiatives to support local can production, but industry insiders say long-term solutions—such as domestic steel mills or regional trade partnerships—are needed. Until then, brewers brace for a summer of limited output, with the can shortage threatening to foam over into a full-blown supply chain crisis.