London Packaging Week is to showcase sustainable and digital packaging innovations at Excel London featuring 220 exhibitors and 90 speakers
London Packaging Week 2026 will return to Excel London on 16 and 17 September, featuring a redesigned event format focused on material discovery, sustainable design, and technological innovation. The two day trade exhibition will bring together more than 220 exhibitors, 90 expert speakers, and key industry bodies including Walpole, the British Beauty Council, the Wine and Spirit Trade Association, and Pentawards to address evolving regulatory and commercial demands facing modern packaging professionals.
Across the exhibition floor, 18 structured feature areas, including 10 newly introduced concepts, will highlight emerging packaging developments across the luxury, beauty, premium drinks, food, and fast moving consumer goods sectors. Among the new features is the Discovery Theatre, which spotlights start-ups, small to medium enterprises, and emerging suppliers working in artificial intelligence, connected packaging, material science, and circular design.
Complementing this focus on early stage technology, the Start-Up Zone will provide a dedicated platform for pioneering companies developing alternative packaging substrates and structural solutions. Visitors looking to evaluate physical innovations can explore the Innovation Gallery, which presents breakthrough concepts alongside guided expert tours hosted by industry consultancy ThePackHub.
Structural and graphic design will form a core focus at the Design Hub, powered by Pentawards. This feature combines expert technical presentations with a showcase of outstanding 2026 packaging design work, demonstrating the integration of creative engineering and commercial viability. The show floor will also host the premiere of a behind the scenes documentary film produced by historic paper manufacturer James Cropper, offering a detailed look inside one of the last remaining coloured paper mills in the United Kingdom.
The conference programme features insights from senior packaging decision makers, including Esther Carter of PackUK, Jeremy Lindley of Diageo, Piera Toniolo of Dolce & Gabbana Beauty, Alex Center, and representatives from PepsiCo, Selfridges, and WRAP. Discussions will address commercial pressures, legislative compliance, material sourcing, and environmental accountability across global supply chains.
Additional features for the 2026 event include a dedicated Podcast Studio sponsored by Auraveo, designed for unscripted discussions regarding industry challenges, alongside the annual London Packaging Week Innovation Awards. Networking sessions such as the WRAP Breakfast, the Women in Packaging Breakfast, and First Timers Drinks aim to facilitate collaboration between converters, material suppliers, and global brand owners.