London Packaging Week 2026 unveils biggest-ever conference programme

More than 90 speakers from global brands, policymakers, retailers, creative agencies and sustainability leaders will explore the consumer, commercial and regulatory forces transforming packaging.

London Packaging Week has unveiled its complete 2026 conference programme, bringing together more than 90 speakers from across the global packaging value chain for two days of insight, debate and practical learning.

Returning to Excel London on 16 & 17 September, the event will welcome more than 5,700 visitors, 220 exhibitors and leading brands from luxury, beauty, premium drinks and FMCG, reinforcing its position as the UK's leading event for premium and luxury packaging innovation.

This year's programme reflects packaging's evolution from a specialist discipline into a strategic business function. Once centred primarily on design, production and sustainability, today's conversations increasingly encompass consumer behaviour, regulation, commercial growth, innovation and brand strategy, bringing together expertise from far beyond the traditional packaging industry.

Packaging has become one of the few business disciplines where marketers, designers, engineers, sustainability specialists, procurement teams and policymakers are all trying to solve the same challenges.

That's exactly what we've built this year's programme around. Visitors won't simply hear what's changing. They'll hear from the people responding to those changes every day, sharing practical experience, fresh thinking and ideas they can take straight back into their own organisations.

Casey McHugh, Senior Conference & Community Manager at Easyfairs.

One of the programme's strongest themes explores how changing consumer expectations are reshaping packaging strategy. From 'Packaging for the great value reset' to 'Meet the new consumer: packaging for the age of functional health', sessions featuring Greg Clayton (Ipsos), Chris Sanderson (The Future Laboratory), Jono Wylie (eatbigfish), Nicki Morley (Kantar) and Vy Cutting (Feisty) will examine the trends, behaviours and cultural shifts redefining what consumers expect from brands and packaging.

Luxury remains another major focus throughout the programme, with sessions exploring everything from storytelling and emotional engagement to heritage, sustainability and premium consumer experiences. Piera Toniolo (Dolce & Gabbana Beauty) will reveal how storytelling is becoming the new language of luxury packaging, while Aneta Aslakhanova (Newby Teas), Hannah Ogg (Compass Box Whisky) and Rachel Meckes (L'Occitane Group) will explore how premium brands are preserving desirability while responding to changing consumer expectations around sustainability, authenticity and cultural relevance.

As regulation continues to reshape the industry, London Packaging Week brings together many of the organisations leading that transition. Sessions featuring Esther Carter (PackUK), Julian Hunt (Exchange for Change), Andy Bagnall (British Soft Drinks Association), Victoria Brownlie MBE (British Beauty Council), Jude Allan (OPRL) and Jon Brookes (Ecosurety) move beyond explaining legislation to examine the practical realities of implementing Extended Producer Responsibility, Deposit Return Schemes, labelling requirements and wider packaging reform.

Design has become one of packaging's most powerful commercial tools, helping brands differentiate, justify premium positioning and create stronger consumer experiences. From 'From zero to BERO: building a premium non-alcoholic beer brand from scratch' and 'Designing beyond the bin to Doodle your way to better ideas' and 'Innovation needs design leaders, not just ideas', speakers including Alex Center (CENTER), Alexie Sommer (URGE Collective), Carl Fisher (Doodle Club), Jo Smith (Diageo), Claire Hoe (Aura Global) and Steve Honour (Diageo) will demonstrate how design is solving commercial, sustainability and consumer challenges across the packaging value chain.

Innovation runs throughout the programme, bringing together perspectives that rarely share the same stage. Francisco Nogueira (Coca-Cola) will unveil the UK premiere of the Schweppes Skittle Evolution Bottle alongside Sam Lucking (Unhidden), while Craig Sterling (MarinaTex) explores marine-derived materials for premium coatings and Arianna Broderick (HairGym) shares the journey behind one of beauty's fastest-growing challenger brands. Together, they demonstrate how collaboration between global brands, entrepreneurs and material innovators is accelerating the industry's next generation of ideas.

Discover the full programme and speaker line-up here.

Alongside more than 90 conference sessions, visitors will discover over 220 exhibitors, the Pentawards Festival, the Innovation Awards, networking events and live demonstrations spanning luxury, beauty, premium drinks and FMCG packaging.

Registration for London Packaging Week 2026 is free for industry professionals and includes access to the full conference programme, exhibition, networking events and feature areas.

London Packaging Week 2026 takes place 16 & 17 September at Excel.