London Packaging Week 2026 officially begins, with the theme of Discovery acting as a beacon of inspiration and drawing together thousands of visitors from around the world. The first day demonstrated the power of in-person connection in a world of online meetings and AI chats.
As London Packaging Week returns to Excel London, its theme of ‘Discovery’ has struck a chord with thousands of attendees from across the packaging and brand worlds. Its first day reinforced its status as one of the must-experience shows in the global packaging sector, combining four co-located events focused on luxury, drinks, beauty, and FMCG packaging into a single blockbuster exhibition.
Josh Brooks, Divisional Director – Packaging Portfolio at event organiser Easyfairs, kicked off the two-day show, saying, “We take our role as a forum for everyone in the supply chain very seriously. We want it to be a place where business can happen, of course, but in doing that we try to create spaces that are inspiring, fun, warm, and welcoming.
“I’m particularly proud of the way the show has platformed and promoted young talent from across the sector. For those looking to discover fresh ideas and forward-thinking perspectives, London Packaging Week has always been the place to do that. But our approach to young talent proves we don’t just talk about the future; we try to make it happen. It’s so gratifying to see the Excel full of people who share that goal with us.”
This theme of Discovery was reflected in the first day’s speaker programme, with one of the highlights addressing a future-focused analysis of one of the industry’s defining issues: Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). Esther Carter, Chief Strategy Officer at UK EPR scheme administrator PackUK, returned to the event for an eagerly-awaited presentation titled ‘Delivering a thriving circular economy’.
“We will soon publish a five-year strategy that lays out our roadmap for delivery,” she revealed. “We now have more data about the packaging that is being put onto the market. Our recyclability assessment methodology uses a simple red, amber, or green traffic light system, where red material is fundamentally incompatible with the recycling system as it exists today, and we see in the latest data that about 20% of packaging on the market is red.
“One in seven producers are exclusively putting red material onto the market, while about 75% are putting in a blend of red, amber, and green. For balance, about 10% of producers are exclusively putting green materials onto the market. This data and evidence will support our roadmap going forwards to drive higher quality recycling outputs.”
The UK’s upcoming deposit return scheme (DRS) was also one of the topics debated at the show – both on the stage and on the stands – ahead of its introduction in 2027. Those attending the FMCG Stage found themselves at the heart of this debate in a panel titled ‘DRS countdown: From 2026 readiness to 2027 reality.’
Naomi Brandon-Bravo, Sustainability Policy Advisor at the British Retail Consortium, was one of the experts on the panel. She admitted, “It’s been a massive learning journey to understand the scale and complexity that this scheme (DRS) brings. It’s a huge operation, but it’s clear retailers are committed to that October 27 deadline, and we are very much in the implementation stage now. In some cases, we’re already seeing these massive reverse vending machines being put in stores.
“There’s still a long way to go, there’s a lot to collaborate on and accelerate. We need to get those final pieces of the scheme in place to make sure we don’t end up with a confused consumer base. Retail needs to rally around logistics, the collections, and how we get materials out of stores.”
Tom Fiennes, Sustainability Director at Carlsberg Britvic, offered insights into how the DRS rollout would affect one of the largest beverage brands in the world. “We’ve got over a thousand SKUs that are going to be affected by the deposit return scheme,” he said. “It’s very, very big. My assessment is that we’re moving from a ‘will we, won’t we’ situation into operational readiness. Everyone needs to be playing their part in the whole value chain. If any element of that isn’t working, it’s going to cause a problem.
“We have a programme in place with 13 different workstreams, so we know how complicated it is. It’s a sustainability project, but it’s also a huge transformational programme and a once-in-a-lifetime generational opportunity. We shouldn’t lose sight of the benefits deposit returns will bring to our nation, to the quality of recycling, and to the reduction of litter. Despite how complicated it might seem, we are very determined to make sure we deal with those complexities and come up with solutions.”
As ever, the event featured a mix of presentations, panel discussions, and interactive Q&As. One of these Q&As, provocatively titled ‘End of the brief’, challenged the idea that the AI era means the end of the traditional design agency. Claudette Munroe, Managing Director at the Contrast design agency, said, “There’s been a lot of movement around in-house creative teams becoming more dominant versus agencies. How much of that is down to genuine creative ambition, and how much is simply organisations playing it safe under the guise of good design? At what point do guidelines stop protecting the brand and start preventing it from evolving?”
Peter Borowksi, Head of Global Design at Tyson Foods added, “Flexibility is critical. Stay true to who you are, but allow the flexibility to break out and have fun. That’s how you get those distinctive assets that consumers play back to you.”
While many of the speakers rightly take the spotlight, some of the most exciting innovations were found on the show floor amongst hundreds of exhibitors. Rhoss Adams, Senior Applied Science Engineer at development consultancy Crux Product Design, was one of them, highlighting the potential of aerospace expertise in the packaging sector. “The tools that aerospace engineers and rocket scientists are using are set to innovate high technology industries,” he said. “We’re bringing them over to the packaging industry, using testing and simulations to provide a level of understanding that is unattainable through physical testing. That allows brands to make more informed decisions where there might otherwise be an unknown.”
Others offered new perspectives on pressing issues for the industry. Markku Tikkanen, Business Development Lead at fossil-free plastics expert Vioneo, added, “I think we need to take a holistic view of how raw material is sourced, how the plastic is produced, and whether it is fit for purpose. We need to reduce material use and reuse where we can. Everything regarding circularity is super important, as a genuinely sustainable approach requires us to consider the whole picture.”
The 2026 edition of London Packaging Week also features several popular new additions, including a podcast studio complete with headphones for attendees to listen in live on the show floor. One of the first day’s sessions was a recording of Future Proof, the flagship marketing podcast from market intelligence expert Kantar. One of the guests on the show was Michelle Atkinson, Head of Marketing Capability at Carlsberg Britvic.
Atkinson highlighted the importance of inclusive designs, saying, “For me, it’s about going back to the consumer and thinking about need states and occasions. If you do your homework, that’s where you find the right spaces for the brand. Where might that take you from an innovation and packaging perspective? The work in inclusivity is opening up new occasions for more people, and ensuring everybody can enjoy their products.”
With another full day of talks, events, creativity, and inspiration to come, including a special live edition of the Talking Rubbish podcast, a dynamic discussion hosted by OPRL, and the renowned Innovation Awards ceremony, London Packaging Week’s looks set to maintain its high standard into its second day.
To secure your attendance at the second and final day of London Packaging Week 2026, visit www.londonpackagingweek.com to register for a free visitors’ ticket.
