Why Some Canned Foods Have Pull Tabs While Others Don’t?

Pull-tab cans have been around for over half a century, but not every canned product comes with this handy feature. So, why is that?

The story begins in 1959 when a man named Ermal Fraze forgot his “church key” at a family picnic. A church key was a can opener that was used to pop two holes in a can of beer. Fraze was forced to improvise and ended up opening his beer on the bumper of his car, resulting in a messy beer geyser. Being an engineer, he decided to invent something that would eliminate the need for a church key.

Fast forward to 1963, Fraze had patented the “easy open” lid, a scored aluminum top that could be cracked open and peeled back with a pull tab. The first company to embrace Fraze’s invention was Iron City Beer in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, who marketed the revolutionary pull-tab technology as the “snap top.” Fraze’s company, DRT, still makes patented easy open “ends” for food and beverage cans.

So why don’t all canned foods have pull tabs?

The answer is simple: cost. Pull-tab ends are more expensive than “sanitary ends” that require a can opener. Tom Crothers, Vice President of Sales at DRT, explains that the metal packaging division at DRT is “much more precise” than even the company’s aerospace or medical divisions. The machines that stamp out easy open ends require incredible precision, and the pull tab itself needs to be stamped from a sheet of aluminum and riveted to the end, which adds to the cost of production.

While everyone loves the convenience of pull-tab cans, the cost of manufacturing them is passed on to the consumer. That’s why you’re more likely to find pull tabs on name-brand items with a higher price tag.

Brand image is also a significant factor in determining whether a can has a pull tab or not. If you pick up a can of Campbell’s soup, you’re going to find easy open ends. If you find a smaller brand or a store brand, those will most likely have sanitary ends.

Transport considerations also play a role in determining whether a can has a pull tab or not. Since easy open lids are scored, they are slightly more likely to puncture if traveling over rough roads. A sanitary end is going to be “more robust” in countries with less-developed infrastructure. So, while we may love the convenience of pull-tab cans, they may not be practical for all markets.