London Packaging Week returns to Excel London from September 16-17. Sema Tezel Basbug, head of marketing at organiser Easyfairs, recently answered Packaging Scotland’s questions about the growing exhibition, which this year features DISCOVERY as its defining theme.
Q) Why should people visit London Packaging Week 2026?
A) London Packaging Week is built around one central idea: DISCOVERY. Discovery is everything. New partners, new collaborations, new materials, new thinking — all in one place, at one time, in the heart of London. It has been evolving into this role for over 15 years. What began in 2010 as a dedicated London packaging meeting place has grown into the UK’s leading marketplace for packaging innovation and design.
From its early expansion into luxury packaging, through rapid growth in Islington, to its relocation to Excel London in 2023, where attendance rose by over 60%, the event has continuously scaled alongside the industry it serves. Today, it welcomes over 5,700 visitors and continues to expand its influence as London’s home of packaging innovation.
This is where the industry comes together in its most concentrated form: brands, designers, suppliers, and technologists all coming together to turn ideas into action. It is not just a showcase; it is a working environment where packaging decisions are made, tested, and accelerated.
The reality is that packaging is full of hidden decisions, unseen innovation, and untold stories. London Packaging Week is where you uncover them. From the Innovation Gallery and Design Hub powered by Pentawards, to the Start-Up Zone and Discovery Theatre, visitors experience materials, technologies and ideas shaping the future of the industry in one place.
This experience is further enriched by new exhibitors joining the show for the first time, including Sabert, Coppice, Sustain Holdings, Floryn Packaging and Paktech, reflecting the continued diversification of innovation across materials, formats and production technologies.
People visit because it is London’s home of packaging innovation and design, and the most efficient way to see what is next, who is driving it and how to apply it immediately.
Q) What do you expect some of the main themes to be this year?
A) The defining theme for 2026 is DISCOVERY, but beneath it lies a more practical and urgent set of industry drivers. We expect to see strong focus on new thinking across materials, partnerships and applications, particularly as sustainability and regulation continue to reshape how packaging is designed and delivered. The evolution of the event itself mirrors this shift, from a niche meeting place to a full-scale marketplace for packaging innovation.
Frameworks such as EPR, DRS, and PPWR are pushing the industry from intent to execution, meaning brands are actively seeking solutions they can implement now. At the same time, there will be a clear emphasis on innovation visibility, bringing ideas out of development pipelines and into shared spaces where they can be compared, tested and understood. This is where Discovery becomes practical: seeing innovation in one place and translating it into action.
Design will remain a powerful force, particularly in beauty, luxury, FMCG and drinks, where packaging continues to carry emotional and commercial weight. The Design Hub, powered by Pentawards, will be central to this conversation. Within this, the drinks category is expected to feature more prominently across both the exhibition and the content, reflecting its ongoing influence on premiumisation, sustainability, and brand storytelling in packaging design.
Across all of this, the underlying theme is the connection between brands, designers, suppliers, regulators and innovators, creating the partnerships needed to navigate complexity and move the industry forward. This cross-industry focus is reflected in the first wave of confirmed speakers for 2026, who collectively illustrate how packaging now sits at the centre of business strategy.
Contributors include Esther Carter, chief strategy officer at PackUK, who will examine the evolution of Extended Producer Responsibility and its implications for industry alignment and regulatory readiness. Alongside her, Alex Center, founder and designer at CENTER, will explore how packaging, storytelling and visual identity can transform products into cultural brands, taking audiences behind the creation of Tom Holland’s BERO while drawing on experience helping shape brands including Liquid Death, Apple and New Balance.
The programme also features Piera Toniolo, global head of influencer marketing at Dolce & Gabbana, who will address the challenge of maintaining luxury heritage while remaining culturally relevant, and Jeremy Lindley, global design director at Diageo, who together with Bulletproof will explore how global brands use major cultural moments such as the FIFA World Cup to activate packaging at scale.
Together, these voices reinforce the shift from packaging as a technical function to packaging as a strategic and cultural driver of growth.
Q) Are you making any changes to the traditional format of the event or adding new features?
A) Yes, and they all reinforce the idea of DISCOVERY in different ways. One of the most significant additions is the Design Hub powered by Pentawards, a dedicated space for packaging designers, brand leaders and creatives to explore new materials, challenge ideas and connect with the global design community. It formalises design as a central driver of innovation at the show.
We are also expanding the ecosystem for emerging ideas through the Start-Up Zone, Discovery Theatre, and Podcast Studio. These spaces bring forward new materials, technologies and perspectives, from early-stage innovation to unfiltered industry conversations.
The Innovation Gallery continues to serve as a curated lens on the best ideas in packaging, supported by guided tours and live award moments. At the same time, the Inner Circle Bar, VIP Lounge, and structured networking sessions create space for meaningful, high-value connections throughout both days.
New to the 2026 experience is a more structured approach to community and engagement, including Day One networking drinks, a First-Timers Happy Hour designed to help new attendees quickly integrate into the community, and a Women in Packaging programme delivered in partnership with Packaging News. This includes an invite-only breakfast for winners and finalists of the Women in Packaging Excellence Awards, followed by a Power Hour featuring short talks from female leaders on leadership, allyship, sustainability, innovation, and organisational change across the sector.
Together, these features shift the show beyond exhibition, creating an environment where discovery is active, guided and continuous.
Q) What advice do you have for exhibitors to help them stand out at an event like this?
A)Â At London Packaging Week, standing out is less about scale and more about clarity of discovery. Exhibitors who perform best are those who are clear about what they want visitors to uncover, whether that is a new material, a technical solution, a sustainability breakthrough or a design capability. With such a high concentration of decision-makers, the message’s simplicity is critical.
The strongest stands are those that make innovation tangible. Visitors are not just looking for ideas; they are looking for proof that they work. Samples, demonstrations, and real-world applications consistently outperform abstract messaging. It is also important to engage with the show’s wider ecosystem. Discovery does not happen in isolation; it happens through conversations, guided tours, content stages, awards and networking moments. The more exhibitors integrate into that flow, the more visible and valuable they become. This is particularly important given the increasing diversity of exhibitors in 2026, from established global suppliers to first-time entrants, which will contribute to a more dynamic and competitive show floor.
Ultimately, success comes from helping visitors uncover something they did not know they were looking for.
Q) How do you measure success at an event such as this?
A) Success at London Packaging Week is measured by how effectively discovery is turned into action. In the immediate sense, that means the quality of conversations, the relevance of connections made, and the ability for visitors and exhibitors to identify real opportunities, whether that is sourcing, collaboration or innovation adoption. But success is also measured by clarity gained. Visitors come to uncover solutions, compare materials, and understand the industry’s direction. If they leave with greater confidence in their decision-making, the event has done its job.
For exhibitors, success extends beyond the show to pilot projects, material trials, design collaborations, and long-term partnerships that begin on the show floor. At its core, success is about accelerating progress, compressing months of discovery, comparison and connection into two highly focused days in London.
Q) What do you see as some of the biggest challenges and opportunities facing the packaging community right now?
A) The packaging industry is navigating a period of increasing complexity and unprecedented opportunity. On the challenge side, regulation is one of the most immediate pressures, with evolving frameworks such as EPR and PPWR requiring faster compliance, clearer data and more accountable design decisions. Alongside this, sustainability expectations continue to rise, but often without a single clear pathway to delivery.
At the same time, brands are balancing cost, performance, consumer experience and environmental impact, often simultaneously, which increases pressure across the entire supply chain. But this complexity is also driving innovation. New materials, smarter packaging systems, and digital tools are unlocking new possibilities. AI, in particular, is beginning to influence how packaging is designed, tested, and optimised.
Most importantly, the industry is shifting towards collaboration over linear supply chains. Packaging is becoming a connected ecosystem, and those who can navigate it, uncover the right partnerships, and translate discovery into execution will define the next phase of industry leadership.
Q) What can you tell us about Scottish interest/involvement in London Packaging Week?
A) Scottish involvement in London Packaging Week reflects the strength and creativity of the wider UK packaging ecosystem beyond London, particularly in sectors such as food and drink, FMCG and premium spirits. Many Scottish brands and producers attend the show to discover new materials, suppliers and design thinking that support both domestic and international growth. The event provides a concentrated environment to explore innovation aligned to UK standards while connecting directly with global packaging expertise.
There is also strong representation from Scottish packaging suppliers and manufacturers who use London Packaging Week as a platform to showcase their capabilities, build partnerships, and engage with brand owners seeking both innovation and reliability.
More broadly, Scottish participation reflects a shared industry mindset: a focus on quality, heritage and innovation, aligned with an event that has itself evolved over 15 years into a leading UK marketplace for packaging discovery and design.
