100 days to go: London Packaging Week 2026 puts discovery at the heart of packaging’s future

London Packaging Week returns in 2026 with a renewed focus on discovery, bringing together leading brands, designers, and suppliers to explore the innovations, insights, and connections shaping packaging’s future.

With just 100 days to go until London Packaging Week 2026 opens its doors, the event returns with a sharpened focus on what now defines the industry: discovery. This year’s edition introduces a series of new features and experiences designed to help brands, designers and retailers navigate an industry being reshaped by regulation, innovation and shifting consumer expectations.

The event, which takes place at Excel London on 16 & 17 September, continues to draw leading global brands and retailers, reinforcing its position as a key meeting point for the industry’s decision-makers. Returning names include No7, William Grant & Sons, Jo Malone London, Marks & Spencer, Fortnum & Mason, Burberry, Hotel Chocolat, LUSH, Elemis, Superdrug, John Lewis, Swarovski, Harrods and Starbucks - reflecting the breadth of sectors now converging around packaging as a strategic priority.

At the centre of the 2026 edition is a single idea: discovery. In a landscape defined by complexity, speed, and constraint, the ability to uncover better solutions faster has become a defining competitive advantage.

Packaging is no longer a technical consideration sitting in the background of brand and operations decisions. It now sits firmly within boardroom strategy, influencing growth, resilience, sustainability and consumer relevance. Discovery is what enables better decisions, and that’s what this event is built around.

Josh Brooks, Divisional Director – Packaging Portfolio at Easyfairs.

To support that focus, the 2026 show floor introduces a series of new and expanded features. This includes the Design Hub, powered by Pentawards, which brings together the global packaging design community through curated talks, networking, and creative exchanges between brands and designers. The Innovation Gallery will spotlight standout developments from across exhibitors, with guided tours highlighting breakthrough materials and technologies.

Alongside this, the Start-Up Zone showcases emerging companies and disruptive thinking. At the same time, the Discovery Theatre provides a platform for start-ups, SMEs and agencies to present ideas shaping the next generation of packaging. A dedicated Podcast Studio will host live conversations with designers and industry leaders, and the Pentawards Gallery returns with 50 award-winning designs from across the world.

The conference programme features more than 90 speakers, including Esther Carter of PackUK, Alex Center of CENTER, Piera Toniolo of Dolce & Gabbana, Mark Browne of PZ Cussons and Jo Smith of Diageo, alongside senior leaders from WRAP, OPRL, PepsiCo, Suntory Food & Beverages, Müller Service GmbH, the British Beauty Council, Selfridges and L’Occitane, reflecting the cross-industry urgency shaping packaging’s future. Across the Luxury, FMCG and Discovery stages, the programme will explore five defining themes: Circular Futures, Next-Gen Solutions, Designed to Desire, The Conscious Consumer and The Efficiency Imperative, capturing the forces actively redefining the packaging landscape.

Beyond content and discovery, London Packaging Week remains a central meeting point for the industry. The Inner Circle Bar will serve as a dedicated networking hub across both days, complemented by Day One networking drinks, a First-Timers Happy Hour designed to help new attendees connect quickly and confidently within the community, and a Women in Packaging morning programme in partnership with Packaging News. This includes an invite-only networking breakfast for winners, finalists and industry leaders from the Women in Packaging Excellence Awards, followed by a Power Hour featuring short, high-impact talks from female leaders exploring leadership, allyship, innovation, sustainability and organisational change across the packaging sector.

Leading packaging suppliers and innovators, including Allpack, EP Group, Ecosurety, Sun Branding, Amcor, Flexpet, Micro Delta, Autajon, Billerud, Kurz and Fedrigoni, return alongside first-time exhibitors such as Sabert, Coppice, Sustain Holdings, Floryn Packaging and Paktech, introducing new supplier innovations across the value chain. Together, they reflect sustained investment in sustainable materials, packaging innovation and next-generation production technologies.

London Packaging Week 2026 takes place on 16 & 17 September at Excel London. Registration is now open, with complimentary tickets providing access to the exhibition, conference programme, Innovation Gallery, Design Hub and thousands of packaging solutions all in one place, designed to help the industry discover what comes next.