interpack 2026 returns to Messe Düsseldorf from 7th-13th May. Packaging Europe will report live from the show floor, giving you a real-time rundown of highlights from the industry’s biggest event.
This article will be updated throughout the week to bring you the latest news and commentary, exclusive interviews, and all the things you need to know about this year’s event.
Thursday 7th May
Yangi presents dry forming technology in fibre-based trays
Kicking off the first day, Packaging Europe spoke with Yangi about its dry forming technology for fibre-based packaging. Its machinery can thermoform various packaging shapes, including round edges – and, using dual-drum technology with airlaid formation, switch between different fibre densities to manufacture outer packaging, protective pads, and more.
Anna Altner, founder and EVP of Commercial & Customer Success, showed us Yangi’s fibre-based trays. Available in bleached and unbleached versions, the trays feature direct inline print from G. Mondini; the partners also collaborate to apply barrier protection.
Anna highlighted particular demand for fibre-based tray and lid components in the takeaway food sector as companies adjust to comply with the Single-Use Plastics Directive, among other legislation.
Yangi will soon launch packaging with its first European customers. To learn more about its technology, head over to G. Mondini’s booth (Hall 5, Booth F24).
We are LIVE at interpack!
Today marks the start of interpack 2026, and the Packaging Europe team will be reporting live from Messe Düsseldorf for the duration of the show.
From the 7th-13th of May, we’ll be interviewing experts, making new connections, participating in panels, and learning more about the latest and most innovative packaging solutions.
We’ll bring you updates on all of the above in this article, which will be regularly updated throughout the show.
If you’re attending interpack this year, we’d love to meet you! Visit us at hall 10, stand E03.
Alternatively, if there’s a product you think we should learn more about, or someone you know with interesting opinions on packaging – email us at editor@packagingeurope.com
What to expect from interpack 2026
Approximately 2,800 companies from 67 countries are expected to attend this year’s interpack. Represented industries will include food, confectionery, bakery, beverage, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, non-food, and industrial goods.
The event will underline three ‘hot topics’: smart packaging, innovative materials, and future skills. This will cover important conversations such as the potential of automation in sustainability applications; design for sustainability, including fibre-based and biobased solutions and multi-layer recyclables; and the role of technology and young talent in the future of the packaging industry.
Spotlight Forum
The Spotlight Forum will see industry representatives, innovators, and technology providers present daily panel discussions, specialist presentations, and practical demonstrations.
The Forum will focus on a new theme every day:
- Thursday 7th May – Opportunities & Risks of the PPWR
- Friday 8th May – Resource Efficiency
- Saturday 9th May – Smart Packaging
- Sunday 10th May – Smart Systems and AI
- Monday 11th May – Circular Economy
- Tuesday 12th May – Innovative Packaging
- Wednesday 13th May – Young Talents
For a day-by-day breakdown of the talks on offer, click here to view the full Spotlight Forum itinerary.
Start-Up Zone
In the Start-Up Zone, smaller companies will present their innovations through live demonstrations. Attendees will be given a firsthand view of upcoming industry trends, and will be encouraged to hold direct conversations with innovators and form new connections.
Exhibitors include, but are not limited to: Sykell, Recyda, Pal Plastik, Konnect Packaging, Jooyeong, Kiud, Gaiapod, and Cell2Green.
Women in Packaging
On Monday 11th May, the Women in Packaging programme will return to interpack for a second consecutive year. Designed to help female professionals exchange knowledge, make new contacts, and deliver mutual support, the event will open with a keynote speech from Tetra Pak’s head of Sustainability Mid Europe, Caroline Babendererde.
A panel discussion led by Nerida Kelton, vice president Sustainability & Save Food at the World Packaging Organisation and executive director of the Australian Institute of Packaging, will follow. The panelists will discuss the packaging industry’s progress from a range of professional perspectives.
Topic Hubs will also host topic-driven networking rounds under the themes of Career Pathways & Mentorship, Community Building & Peer Networks, Personal Branding & Visibility, Balancing Work & Life and Future Generation & Skills.
The event will begin at 10:30 AM at Congress Centre Düsseldorf, 2nd Floor, Room 26, 27, 28. Interested parties can click here to register.
Young Talents Day
interpack’s Young Talents Day will take place on Wednesday 13th May, and introduce trainees, students, and young professionals to various industrial pathways.
This year, it will foreground one of the trade show’s central themes: future skills. Through the Young Talents Tour, attendees will be encouraged to speak to young industry representatives for insights into their careers and potential pathways into the packaging industry.
Meanwhile, the interpack Career Tour will teach school pupils about the ins and outs of industry apprenticeships, including points of entry, potential career prospects, and the range of employers on offer.
The Spotlight Forum will also feature the ‘NextGen Plastics powered by IK’ session, which will shine a spotlight on young talent in the industry as they address current industry topics.
Additionally, the Science Slam will involve ‘clear and interactive’ presentations as young researchers showcase their work.
Save Food Initiative
The Save Food Initiative will host its Expert Talks on Tuesday 12th May. International organizations, companies, and initiatives will come together to discuss regulation, packaging innovation, global collaboration, and more – all in pursuit of using packaging to protect food and prevent waste.
The SAVE FOOD Design Awards and the Sustainability Design Awards will be presented on-site. The Food and Agriculture Organization, the World Packaging Organization, and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization were among the jury.
The SAVE FOOD Initiative Project Competition will also underline active efforts to tackle food waste, particularly through a packaging lens. It will award projects that manage their resources responsibly across the supply chain, whether through improved logistics, smart packaging concepts, or contributions to consumer and political progress.
Attendees will also be invited to network and exchange knowledge over snacks.
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