Packaging power

Visitors to Paris Packaging Week’s 2026 edition can expect to see the latest trends spread across ADF, PCD, PLD and Packaging Première, as the show celebrates 25 years of vision, innovation and creativity. The event’s organiser, Easyfairs, is anticipating another successful year showcasing the next generation of leaders, ideas and product design. CanTech International spoke with Easyfairs’ senior marketing manager, Karen Abarian, about the concepts and themes represented at this year’s show.

Could you tell us more about the new Refill and Reuse Zone?

The Refill & Reuse Zone is a bold new addition for 2026. It focuses on practical refillable, reusable and circular packaging solutions, responding to the real-world pressure brands are facing to meet sustainability targets and navigate waste-reducing solutions.

The zone will be structured as a curated exhibitor space, bringing together companies from across all show sectors. This creates a clear, side-by-side view of how different industries are tackling refill and reuse, from beauty and drinks to premium and luxury packaging.

It’s designed to be hands-on, relevant and solution-driven. And beyond the products, the zone will also serve as a point of connection, encouraging conversation and collaboration across sectors, and offering a sharp snapshot of where refill and reuse really stand in 2026.

How does metal packaging fit into the Packaging Première Innovation Awards, and is metal still seen as a luxury by consumers?

Metal packaging has a strong presence across the Packaging Première Innovation Awards, with clear relevance in categories such as Fine Food & Gourmet, Gift Boxes, Limited Editions & Collector’s Packaging, Travel Retail & Luxury Experience and Lifestyle Packaging. These are areas that naturally lend themselves to metal’s visual impact, durability and premium finish. And with an incredible jury including experts from Chloé, Fauchon, Bulgari, Diptyque and more, the materials used will definitely be under the microscope.

It’s also a really exciting time for metal packaging, as innovation continues to elevate both its beauty and its sustainability. I think there’s no doubt that consumers still associate metal with luxury, and the whole Paris Packaging Week team agrees with that. What’s changing, though, is the narrative around it. Metal isn’t just about premium looks anymore. It now sits at the crossroads of luxury and responsibility. What we’ve seen with the entries this year is that advances in lightweighting, decoration techniques and closed-loop recyclability are reshaping metal into a more modern, intelligent packaging choice.

So yes, it’s safe to say innovation in this space is moving fast. Brands are really pushing creative boundaries, while also embracing metal’s long lifecycle and strong sustainability profile. From cosmetic tins and fragrance caps to candle containers and high-end gift formats, metal is proving its versatility far beyond traditional uses. Rather than losing its luxury image, metal is evolving it. Still aspirational, but now with a much sharper focus on performance, efficiency and environmental impact.

How do designers reconcile the interaction between branding, user experience, sustainability and aesthetics at the show?

At Paris Packaging Week, designers don’t treat branding, unboxing, sustainability and aesthetics as separate challenges – they show how all four work together in real, tangible packaging.

A key part of this is the Pentawards Festival, returning in 2026 after a hugely successful edition in 2025. It brings together live art performances, a gallery of the world’s 100 best packaging designs, a village of leading global design agencies and inspiring talks. But what really sets it apart is how hands-on it is.

Paris Packaging Week is a highly experiential and transactional show. People come to see, touch and feel packaging, to interact with materials and explore design up close. That physical connection with packaging is a core strength of the event and something that’s incredibly important to us.

Alongside this, the Innovation Awards Gallery acts as another focal point for the year’s most exciting developments across beauty, luxury, drinks and aerosols, showcasing the very best in packaging innovation, materials, tech and design.

Of course, the Innovation Awards themselves provide a true celebration and spotlight on designs that successfully bring together branding, user experience, sustainability and aesthetics, proving that when done well, all four can work in harmony.

What can visitors expect from this year’s Aerosol & Dispensing Summit, and what are the key focus areas for the other conferences and discussions?

The ADF Talks agenda for Paris Packaging Week 2026 is now live, offering one of the most forward-looking programmes to date. This year’s content focuses strongly on the impact of the PPWR and what it means for sustainability, innovation, design, and consumer behaviour across the aerosol and dispensing sectors.

Featured speakers include:
• Jacques Playe, vice president of packaging & product development of L’Oréal
• Professor Diana Derval, chief investigator at DervalResearch
• Alfeo Tecchiolli, head of group product technical management at Coster Group
• Aurelia Drenovac, sustainability manager at Nussbaum Matzingen AG
• Alain D’haese, secretary general of the European Aerosol Federation
• Tom Giddings, executive director at Alupro
• Henri Gaskjenn, CEO of Bockatech.

Key ADF Talks sessions will explore:
• The heat is on: Decoding spraying rituals and aerosol preferences
• Compressed gases: Technical challenges and opportunities
• Spray, Squirt & Shake: Unlocking better aerosol recycling
• EU legislation: Simplification, deregulation… or something else?
• ROME foam technology and other breakthrough innovations.

Beyond this, the wider forum programme spans four other dedicated stages, each offering a clear focus area for visitors. The Circular Economy Stage explores regulatory challenges, waste reduction and resource efficiency in packaging. The Future Innovation Forum is focused on cutting-edge innovation: think AI, smart packaging, interactive design, augmented reality and more. The Pentawards Festival stage celebrates design excellence, from minimalist and eco-friendly packaging to experiential and luxury formats, all through a design lens. Lastly, the Discovery Zone stage is where startups showcase new materials, products and tech shaping the future, from AI to smart packaging.

Together, these stages deliver a comprehensive view of the challenges and opportunities shaping the future of packaging.

Your 2026 Trend Report is themed ‘Cool and Conscious’ – what insights can we expect, and how will they reflect the 2026 edition of the show?

Our Cool and Conscious 2026 Trend Report captures the emerging balance between cutting-edge aesthetics and intentional, responsible design. It speaks to a shift we’re seeing across the entire packaging ecosystem: brands and designers are no longer choosing between beauty and sustainability – they’re expected to deliver both.

Cool and Conscious reflects a mindset where packaging is visually magnetic yet guided by values such as transparency, circularity and emotional resonance. It highlights how innovation, material intelligence and consumer expectations are reshaping what good design looks like in 2026.

The report’s insights are deeply tied to the voices shaping the next era of packaging, many of whom are featured across this year’s programme: Louis Marty, CEO of Merci Handy explores transparency as the new aesthetic, showing how honesty and clarity can become part of a brand’s visual language.

Dimitri Guichard, global supply chain director at Estée Lauder, reframes PPWR as a creative catalyst, proving that regulation can inspire – rather than limit – design innovation.

Frédéric Dreux, global R&D packaging director at Unilever, positions packaging as a laboratory for environmental progress, where experimentation drives scalable, real-world impact.

Isabelle Colignon, artistic director at Camus, examines the evolving relationship between consumers and brands, and how expectation is shifting toward authenticity, meaning and sensorial richness.

Johanna Rowe Calvi, founder of Women in Design and president of the Strate School of Design Alumni Association, brings forward the idea that creativity and responsibility are now inseparable, and that designers have the power to embed purpose at every stage of development. You’ll see the themes of Cool and Conscious echoed everywhere throughout the 2026 edition – on stage in our conference theatres, in the progressive concepts from exhibitors, and in the conversations happening across the show floor.

What will be the message you want visitors to take away from their time at the 2026 edition?

This 25th edition is incredibly special to us. It’s both a celebration and a reinvention. A moment to honour our journey while boldly shaping what comes next. The theme ‘ICONIC’ – Innovation, Celebration, Outstanding, Networking, Inclusivity and Creativity – captures everything Paris Packaging Week stands for.

We’re welcoming over 880 exhibitors, of which 155+ are new, and inviting the global community to “Join the packaging movement.” This is a collective call to action for a more sustainable, inclusive and forward-thinking industry.

Our ambition is clear: to transform Paris Packaging Week into the global meeting point where regulation, design and innovation unite and real progress happens.

Beyond all of that, what matters most to me is the sense of community that has grown around Paris Packaging Week. I want it to remain a place where people feel connected, curious and proud to be part of an industry that is not only adapting to change but leading it.