London Packaging Week to spotlight the future of packaging as Innovation Awards 2025 open

After a stunning first showing in 2024, the annual awards return for a second year, aiming to highlight the most exciting innovations and brightest talents in the packaging industry.

London Packaging Week organiser Easyfairs has announced that entries are now open for its prestigious Innovation Awards 2025, inviting disruptive, forward-thinking, and creative projects from across the packaging industry.

Innovators have until 25 April to submit their free entries, which will be judged by a panel of leading industry experts. The winners will be revealed at the London Packaging Week showcase on 15 & 16 October at the Excel Centre in London.

The Innovation Awards provide a platform for brands of all sizes to showcase groundbreaking concepts that push packaging boundaries and shape the industry's future. Categories for 2025 include Luxury & Premium Packaging, Perfume, Cosmetics & Personal Care, Drinks Packaging, Food Packaging, Consumer Pack, and Sustainable Packaging. The 2024 awards delivered on this vision, with standout winners including Bowmore’s stunning whisky decanter, a revolutionary single-sheet paper box, Highland Park’s creative flint glass decanter, and Sprite’s label-free ‘naked’ bottle.

Paul Jenkins, founder of ThePackHub, compared the competition to the world of football, saying, “As a football fan, I compare the magic of the LPW Innovation Awards to the magic of the FA Cup. Brands of any size, from multi-national household names to start-ups, get to share a platform and compete on equal footing – there’s nothing quite like it. That magic meant last year’s awards were worth the visit to London Packaging Week alone – and we expect even stronger entries in the class of 2025, making it a must-see event for packaging professionals.”

Reflecting on last year’s competition, Michael Caroll, Expert Line Manager at Nestlé, said, “Last year there were some excellent examples of premiumisation of packaging. This year it would be great to see more sustainable, fit-for-purpose packaging examples, especially with good clear messaging to the consumers.”

Alfredo Ruiz Pose, Head of Purchase at The Glenmorangie, emphasised the importance of recognising innovation in the industry, stating, “Packaging exhibitions play a crucial role in the industry, and recognising innovation is essential for fostering much-needed advancement. I also believe the UK excels at developing ideas from concepts. Hopefully, London Packaging Week will serve as a beacon not only for the British industry but for the rest of the world in showcasing new concepts.”

Nikki Grainge, Packaging Technician at M&S, highlighted key trends from last year and shared her hopes for 2025. “Last year we noticed a couple of trends, from 'mail ready' packaging for use in subscription mail outs, for example, to high-premium 'gift' type packaging. And for this year’s entries, I'd still like to see premium packaging but with more of a sustainable slant – make 'gift worthy' packaging recyclable, re-purposable or even re-usable. I sent (and received) some Christmas cards this year that were made from paper that had impregnated seeds. I'm so looking forward to seeing those wildflowers bloom in my garden come spring-summer – it'll be like getting a gift twice!”

Christelle Anya, Content & Community Director of London Packaging Week, and one of the driving forces behind the awards, expressed her excitement for the event’s return, saying, “Innovation is the lifeblood of the packaging industry, and this event is a celebration of the best, most exciting, and boundary-breaking innovations of today – and tomorrow. We received an incredibly high standard of entries in 2024, and we predict 2025 is only going to raise the bar further. Entries are free, and we welcome businesses of any size to put their innovations forward – winners and finalists are featured prominently in front of a crowd of influential attendees at one of the biggest packaging events in the world!”

Key dates for entrants to remember include 25 April for the awards submission deadline, 26 June for judging day, and 15 & 16 October when the winners will be announced at London Packaging Week. For a full list of qualifying criteria, entrants should visit the Awards section on www.londonpackagingweek.com/innovation-awards, where visitors can also register for a free ticket to the London Packaging Week event.