Packaging Innovations & Empack 2026 has released the first wave of confirmed speakers for its upcoming event, which will take place on 11–12 February at Birmingham’s NEC. The programme will span four stages – Circular Economy, Design & Innovation, Supply Chain, and Discovery Theatre – and will feature more than 80 speakers from global brands, industry bodies, academic institutions, and emerging start-ups.
The event’s conference agenda brings together representatives from companies including Rolls-Royce, Nestlé, Unilever, Diageo, Coca-Cola, and Greggs, as well as organisations such as PackUK, The Sustainable Packaging Coalition, WRAP, RECOUP, BCMPA, McKinsey & Co, and Smithers. According to Easyfairs, which organises the show, the programme aims to explore the key trends, regulatory changes, and technological developments influencing the packaging sector.
Sessions across the two days will cover topics ranging from design strategy and inclusive innovation to supply chain resilience, automation, and circularity. Highlights on the Design & Innovation Stage include presentations from Aura’s Gillian Garside-Wight, Museum of Failure founder Dr Samuel West, and Diageo’s Paul Horton, alongside a showcase of finalists in the London Packaging Week Innovation Awards.
Day two features discussions on empathy-driven design, inclusive innovation, and creative resilience, followed by the Packaging Start-up Awards, which will highlight emerging technologies and concepts from early-stage companies.
On the Supply Chain Stage, Rolls-Royce, Sheffield Hallam University and industry associations will address skills development, while experts from Smithers, BCMPA, Nulogy, Greggs, MTC and Cranfield University will discuss market outlooks, digitalisation, AI, and predictive maintenance. The programme also includes McKinsey partners presenting insights from the firm’s “Sustainable Packaging 2025” research, and the launch of “Pitch the Co-Packers,” where early-stage brands will present to a panel of industry judges.
Circular economy topics will be explored through sessions led by OPRL, PackUK, Recoup and others, focusing on recyclability, EU labelling requirements, and emerging policy. The schedule also includes recognition of the Future Trailblazer Class of 2026, a live podcast from hosts James Piper and Robbie Staniforth, and the annual Big Debate, which this year considers the role of AI in waste management.
The second day will feature a panel on Deposit Return Schemes with speakers from the UK DMO and Coca-Cola, followed by further sessions from PackUK and WRAP examining reuse systems and value-chain collaboration.
