The future of packaging is taking centre stage: London Packaging Week has opened entries for its prestigious Innovation Awards 2026, celebrating the most forward-thinking, disruptive, and creative projects shaping the industry today.
Entries are now open, with innovators able to submit for free until Friday 24 April 2026. A panel of leading industry experts from some of the world’s most recognised brands, including Glenmorangie, Diageo, Starbucks, Marks & Spencer, Superdrug, British Beauty Council, and No7 Boots, will review and judge submissions in June, before winners are revealed at London Packaging Week on 16 & 17 September 2026 at the Excel Centre in London.
The 2026 Innovation Awards, sponsored by Nuon, span 23 categories across Premium & Luxury Packaging (Packaging Première), Personal Care & Beauty (PCD), Premium and Drinks (PLD), Food, Consumer & Homeware (Food & Consumer Pack), and Sustainability, reflecting the full breadth of the packaging industry. Categories recognise everything from everyday consumer products to hyper-luxury creations, and from design innovation to measurable commercial and environmental impact.
Premium & Luxury Packaging (Packaging Premiere) – fine foods, fashion, accessories, jewellery, and one-of-a-kind gift boxes.
Personal Care & Beauty (PCD) – skincare, haircare, cosmetics, perfume, gifting; everyday to luxury and limited-edition ranges.
Drinks (PLD) – alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, premium, luxury, hyper-luxury, and limited editions.
Food, Consumer & Homeware (Food & Consumer Pack) – everyday and seasonal products, homeware, healthcare, and gifting experiences.
Sustainability – five awards across sectors, rewarding measurable impact in materials, circularity, carbon and waste reduction, and consumer engagement.
Judging will focus on creativity, functionality, technical innovation, market performance, and sustainability, ensuring winners represent the very best in packaging today.
Michelle Atkinson, Head of Marketing Capability at Carlsberg Britvic, said: “We saw bravery across every sector, from luxury spirits to everyday essentials. That bravery moves the industry forward. If we lead with it, we bring consumers with us and reshape expectations together. It’s easy to get caught up in a purely brand lens, but we need to see through the consumer's eyes. Some designs look beautiful but are difficult to interact with. Brands need to test their packs with real consumers: open it, close it, feel it. That feedback is crucial and often overlooked.”
Simon Elmer, Global Head of Innovation Practice at William Grant & Sons, added: “The standard of entries was very strong, and the atmosphere was refreshingly relaxed. It felt less analytical and more engaging and conversational, which has been great. Bringing together people with different backgrounds and skill sets always adds real value. There were many high-end entries, many featuring intricate details and technical embellishments. In many ways, they were absolutely beautiful. If I had one criticism, it would be that the design sometimes doesn’t fully align with the product or its brand equity. The creativity and execution in packaging design were impressive, but there may be an opportunity to make the link between that creativity and the overall concept and the essence of the product clearer.”
Michael Carroll, MMI Packaging Business Partner-Senior Packaging Project Manager at Müller, said: “Hundreds of submissions came through, and for each one I wanted to know: What grade of board have you used? Why that particular GSM? Could you have picked a more sustainable alternative? Most of the judges will have written packaging specs at some point, and that’s where the devil is, in the detail. Have you done a top-load strength test? A line trial? You need to show that the packaging is best-in-class and truly fit for purpose.”
Christelle Anya, Content & Community Director for the London Packaging Week and Paris Packaging Week events, said: “The London Packaging Week Innovation Awards exist to recognise packaging that does more than look beautiful; they celebrate ideas that advance technology, elevate design, deepen consumer connection and deliver real commercial impact. We are looking for technical ingenuity that improves performance and efficiency, design excellence that balances creativity with craftsmanship, and experiences that are intuitive, memorable and rooted in genuine consumer insight. Crucially, innovation must prove its market value, demonstrating measurable results, strategic clarity and long-term scalability.”
The 2025 Innovation Awards celebrated some of the most creative and impactful packaging across the industry. Standout winners included Hendrick’s Gin’s theatrical Whimsical Watering Can, Macallan’s artisanal A Study in Oak luxury pack, Ardbeg Prestige’s immersive The Abyss bottle, Trinny London’s reusable Christmas 2024 Gift Bag, Daisyface’s playful refillable skincare range, and PA Consulting and Diageo’s low-carbon Dry Moulded Fibre Bottle.
Entries are free until Friday 24 April 2026, and winners and finalists will be showcased at London Packaging Week on 16 & 17 September 2026 to a crowd of industry leaders and influencers, offering an unrivalled platform to highlight innovation and inspire the wider sector.
For full criteria and to submit, visit www.londonpackagingweek.com/innovation-awards.