Electric cars to beer cans risk getting pricier over aluminum fees

Buyers in Japan agreed to pay a premium of $185 per ton above benchmark London prices for the coming quarter, the highest in six years.

TOKYO: To understand why everything from a can of beer to an electric vehicle is likely to get pricier, negotiations over aluminum fees in Japan provide a vivid lesson.

Producers of the lightweight metal are increasingly calling the shots in pricing talks with Japanese buyers, as demand climbs amid a tightening global market driven by economies recovering from the pandemic.

In a dramatic shift from a year ago, customers rushing to secure supply are left with far less haggling power, leading to ever-higher fees.