London Packaging Week 2026 has come and gone, and we’re still buzzing. The show took place at Excel London on September 16 and 17 and covered four shows in one place: Packaging Première, PCD, PLD, and Food & Consumer Pack.
The sixteenth London Packaging Week was one of the biggest yet, bringing together 230 exhibitors, over 110 speakers, and more than 6,800 packaging professionals. Here’s our full recap of what we saw and loved this year.
What Was New This Year
Every year, London Packaging Week adds something fresh. This year’s biggest addition was the Design Hub, powered by Pentawards. It gave designers and brands a place to meet, swap ideas, and get hands-on with new materials and finishes.
Next door was the new Discovery Theatre. It put the spotlight on start-ups and smaller suppliers building the next wave of packaging tech, including AI tools and smart packaging. The show also added a brand-new Start-Up Zone. Together, these two spaces made room for the up-and-comers, not just the big, familiar names.
The show also added a new Podcast Studio. Giving industry leaders a small, quiet stage for real talk throughout the two days. The Innovation Gallery also offered twice-daily guided tours through the newest packaging ideas, right up until the Innovation Award winners were named on September 17.
The Trends Everyone Was Talking About
We walked all four zones. A few themes kept coming up again and again.
Sustainability is still a hot topic. Exhibitors skipped the vague promises this year. Instead, they showed real solutions: refillable packs, lighter materials, and smarter end-of-life designs. Conversations around EPR costs came up repeatedly as rules and regulations continue to expand.
Luxury packaging leaned into the unboxing moment. Over at Packaging Première, brands treated the box as part of the experience. Rigid cases, metallic finishes, and clever opening mechanisms turned simple containers into keepsakes.
Beauty brands balanced form and function. PCD exhibitors showed off embossed bottles and bold textures.
Drink packaging moving into a more playful aesthetic.PLD exhibitors leaned into storytelling. Think advent-calendar-style gift sets and interactive tasting kits that turn a simple bottle into an experience.
FMCG brands balanced speed with sustainability. Food & Consumer Pack exhibitors proved that everyday packaging can still stand out on the shelf while using less material and cutting waste.
Innovation Awards Highlights
The Innovation Awards marked their third year in 2026, and the finalists delivered. Categories covered luxury, beauty, drinks, FMCG, and sustainability. We were honored with an award for best use of stock packaging for our Blossom & Beau deodorant package design! The ceremony took place on September 17 at the Luxury Stage, closing out two days of strong design work.
What Paramount Brought to the Show
For us, London Packaging Week is an incredible time of networking with existing and new potential partners. This year, our team focused on showing brands how much easier packaging can be with the right partner behind them. We talked through our service offerings including warehousing, inventory management, and how the right setup frees up cash flow and time for the work that matters most.
Meeting so many teams building smart, sustainable packaging was a great reminder of why we do this. Whether a brand is scaling up or launching something new, the logistics side of packaging matters just as much as the design.
Looking Ahead
London Packaging Week 2026 showed us that packaging keeps moving fast, and not just on looks. Sustainability is getting more practical. Start-ups are getting more of the spotlight. And design and technology keep blending together. We’re already looking forward to next year’s show.
If you’re looking for a packaging and supply chain partner who can help you stay ahead, we’d love to connect. Contact us today to start the conversation.
