Senior figures from IOM3, Nestlé, Asda, Lavazza Coffee, and across the packaging industry will select the Future Trailblazer Class of 2027, alongside a dedicated panel that recognises the mentors helping emerging talent thrive.

Packaging Innovations & Empack has unveiled the judging panels for the Future Trailblazer Awards 2027 and the inaugural Packaging Mentor of the Year Award, bringing together industry leaders and emerging professionals to recognise both the people making their mark on packaging and those helping others build successful careers within it.

What separates someone who excels at their job from a genuine Trailblazer? Four judges of the Future Trailblazer Awards explore why fresh thinking, curiosity and the ability to inspire change can matter more than experience or groundbreaking invention.

There is a temptation, when we talk about trailblazers, to picture the inventor. The person who tears up the rulebook, creates something nobody has seen before and leaves everyone else wondering why they did not think of it first.

Jude Allan has a rather broader definition.

Luxembourg (September 7, 2026) – Ardagh Metal Packaging (AMP) has partnered with Royal Swinkels on the launch of BarLoca. An alcohol-free wine in AMP's dedicated 250 ml wine can. BarLoca is made from Southern Italian wine and dealcoholised at Royal Swinkels' brewery in Lieshout. BarLoca Bianco and Rosso are now available in The Netherlands, Belgium and Germany in a semi-matt can built specifically for wine: it keeps out light and air and combines the quality and character of wine with the convenience and versatility of aluminium packaging.

Former PackUK chief receives Lifetime Achievement Award for her contribution to the circular economy, while M&S is named Packaging Team of the Year for combining creativity, customer experience and sustainability at scale.

Margaret Bates, who led the establishment of the UK's packaging extended producer responsibility (pEPR) scheme administrator, and Marks & Spencer have been recognised for their contributions to the packaging industry at the London Packaging Week Innovation Awards 2026.

Press release, October 13

Guerlain set exceptionally high standards for the new Longevity Concentrate's packaging: it needed to reflect the product's value through its aesthetics, practicality, technical performance and ergonomics, while also supporting refilling and ensuring full compatibility with the formula.

Muri b. Bern/Schweiz, 6 October 2026 – Barbara Gonzini is the new Managing Director Italy at Fournier Polymers. Effective immediately, she is taking the lead of the company's Italian business. Fournier Polymers is part of globally active polymer distributor Meraxis and aims to further expand its position in the Italian polymer distribution market.

Jack Daniel's x McLaren Halo MK1 wins Limited Edition Packaging of the Year, following Hunter Luxury's victory with the Hendrick's Whimsical Watering Can in 2025.

Hunter Luxury has secured back-to-back victories at the UK Packaging Awards after the Jack Daniel's x McLaren Halo MK1 Limited Edition was named Limited Edition Packaging of the Year 2026.

The win follows Hunter Luxury's victory in the same category in 2025 with the Hendrick's Whimsical Watering Can, giving the luxury packaging specialist consecutive titles for two strikingly different projects.

6 October 2026

UN-approved Bag-in-Box (BiB) packaging is now available for detergents, professional cleaning products and suitable chemical applications in the UK, Ireland and the United Arab Emirates, providing an alternative to traditional rigid plastic containers for appropriate products in Packing Groups II and III.

The solutions combine high-quality flexible packaging with the technical knowledge and application support required to assess and develop suitable BiB applications for these markets.