The ribbed walls of canned food containers are designed to make them stronger and sturdier to withstand heat and potential damage during handling and transportation.

A can needs to endure a lot of handling, movement, and stacking during transport. The ribs provide added strength to ensure the can won't burst or collapse under weight loads.

Canned food undergoes a heating process important for cooking and sterilization, giving the contents a longer shelf-life. This heat can create cracks in the can's surface.

The ribs increase the container's surface area, allowing it to expand or contract without the walls losing structural integrity or splitting apart while preventing contamination.

Some cans don't have ribs, including beverages and small seafood cans, because they don't require heat treatment or won't be adversely affected by heat or stacking.