UK trade show Packaging Innovations & Empack will feature dedicated zones for Food Service, Label & Print and Smart Packaging, when it returns to the Birmingham NEC in February 2025.
Organisers Easyfairs say more than 460 exhibitors and 7000 visitors are expected to attend the show, which runs on 12 and 13 February 2025. It claims the event will be a ‘must-attend’ for industry professionals looking to stay ‘at the forefront of the trends and technologies shaping the future of packaging’.
The dedicated zones each spotlight a key growth area for the packaging sector. Food Service will enable engagement with top food retailers and food-to-go outlets; in Label & Print, there will be machinery, software and processes ideal for suppliers of labels, corrugated and flexible packaging; Smart Packaging will showcase innovations such as NFC chips, RFID tags and AR technologies that offer interactive experiences for customers.
Additional features of Packaging Innovations & Empack include the Contract Pack & Fulfilment zone (run by the trade body the BCMPA), a 50-plus speaker conference dealing in areas such as sustainability, smart packaging and cutting-edge innovations, the Future Trailblazer Awards, rewarding the industry’s ‘brightest visionaries’, and a spotlight on packaging start-ups, following 2024#s Packaging Start-Up Awards.
‘As 2025 approaches, the need for businesses to stay ahead of the latest trends in packaging has never been more crucial,’ said Naomi Stewart, marketing manager at Easyfairs UK. ‘Many businesses set ambitious sustainability targets for 2025, and whether they hit those targets or not, they have to keep moving forward as 2030 is on the horizon – and with it comes another raft of sustainability goals, including the UN’s Sustainable Development agenda.
‘Between the increasing emphasis on sustainability and new regulations, the challenges are plentiful — but so are the opportunities. By attending Packaging Innovations & Empack, businesses will be well-placed to take these opportunities.’
Entry submissions for the Future Trailblazer Awards are open until 10 November 2024, and visitor registration for the exhibition in general is open online.
