Global brands drive surge in entries as London Packaging Week Innovation Awards extends deadline to 11 May
The London Packaging Week Innovation Awards has extended its entry deadline to 11 May 2026, giving brands, designers, manufacturers and suppliers additional time to submit work that is redefining packaging across global markets.
The extension reflects both the scale and quality of entries already received, and the increasingly cross-sector nature of packaging innovation, where material science, structural engineering, sustainability and consumer experience are converging into a single, interconnected discipline.
The extension comes amid continued demand from globally recognised brands, with leading luxury names such as Prada, Miu Miu, Lancôme, Dom Pérignon, and Boodles among this year’s entrants. They are joined by major global players including Dove (Unilever), Jack Daniel’s, Lindt, Magnum Ice Cream, Sainsbury’s, Ocado Retail, Molton Brown, Wild Deodorants, Kilchoman Distillery, Refy Beauty, Hotel Chocolat and Kraft Heinz, reflecting the breadth of innovation across beauty, drinks, food and consumer goods. Emerging and disruptive brands, including FOLI Club and Filter by Molly-Mae, further underline the diversity and forward-thinking nature of submissions.
Beyond recognition, the Awards offer something increasingly rare in the industry: direct visibility from the people shaping packaging strategy inside some of the world’s most influential brands. This year’s judging panel brings together senior leaders from across the global packaging ecosystem, including representatives from Diageo, Starbucks, Carlsberg Britvic, Marks & Spencer, Burberry, Pernod Ricard, Glenmorangie, PZ Cussons, Trinny London, Boots and Kingfisher plc, alongside industry bodies including the British Beauty Council, Food and Drink Federation, and sustainability and packaging consultancies such as The PackHub and Re-sources.
For entrants, this means submitted work is not only evaluated against rigorous criteria, including technological innovation, design excellence, consumer experience, and commercial impact, but is also seen by those actively shaping packaging briefs, procurement decisions and innovation pipelines within leading global organisations.
In sustainability-led categories across beauty, drinks, food, consumer goods and luxury, judges will assess entries on material innovation, circularity and reusability, waste and carbon reduction, consumer engagement, and broader industry impact. Entrants are encouraged to include measurable metrics wherever possible, reflecting the industry’s continued shift toward accountability and evidence-based design.
Christelle Anya, Community & Content Director at London Packaging Week, said: “As packaging continues to move beyond category boundaries, the Awards increasingly reflect a wider reality: innovation is no longer isolated within sectors, but shaped by shared challenges across regulation, resources, supply chains and shifting consumer expectations.
“With the new deadline of 11 May 2026, entrants now have additional time to refine submissions, strengthen evidence, and showcase work that demonstrates both creativity and measurable impact.”
Finalists and winners will be unveiled at London Packaging Week on September 16 & 17, 2026, at Excel London, where the industry will gather to celebrate the most forward-thinking work across luxury, beauty, food, drinks and consumer goods.
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