Avery Dennison showcased how labels can support product security, supply chain efficiency, data generation and packaging circularity, moving beyond their traditional roles of decoration and information. At LOUPE India 2026, the company presented more than 50 applications across pharmaceuticals, retail, consumer packaged goods (CPG) and durable products.
Speaking to The Packman at the exhibition, Saurabh Agarwal, vice president and general manager, Materials Group – South Asia, Avery Dennison, said the showcase reflects growing interest in the functional capabilities of labels and their contribution to sustainability. “We are talking much more about the functionality side of labels. It is not only about decoration or the information that the label carries. There are more than 50 use cases where you can see labels performing beyond just decoration,” Agarwal said.
The display includes RFID applications and demonstrations of how labels can support recycling across HDPE, glass and PET packaging. “There is a very heavy conversation around sustainability, not only from a substrate point of view, but also in terms of how labels enable circularity in a very clean way,” he said.
RFID expands beyond apparel
RFID is finding applications beyond apparel retail, with growing opportunities in logistics and pharmaceuticals. Food is another potential area, although adoption in India remains more limited than in some international markets.
Describing RFID as an electronic barcode, Agarwal said Avery Dennison has more than 1,800 patents in the technology and develops solutions tailored to specific applications and customer requirements. He also sees opportunities for RFID to complement artificial intelligence (AI) by generating data that can be analyzed to improve operational decision-making. “With the growth of AI, which feeds on data, we are seeing this helping RFID technology a lot because RFID creates tons of data on which the AI layer can sit and convert it into very meaningful insights,” he said.
Brand owners and converters seek greater value
Brand owners are increasingly looking to labels for more than product identification and visual appeal. Security, counterfeiting, supply chain efficiency, waste reduction and consumer trust are becoming important considerations in label development. Agarwal said this has shifted customer conversations towards identifying specific operational challenges and developing solutions to address them. “Things like security, the problems of counterfeit, how they make their supply chains more efficient, how they bring down waste in their processes, and the trust that packaging creates with consumers are becoming important,” he said.
These changing requirements are also influencing converters, who face pricing pressure, commoditization, inflation and supply disruptions. Agarwal said converters need reliable suppliers that can maintain consistent quality and service while helping them deliver greater value to brand owners. “They are looking for reliable partners who can help them cushion some of these shocks. They are also looking for partners who can continuously help them create greater value for their customers,” he said.
India commitment and supply chain resilience
Avery Dennison has been present in India for 29 years. Agarwal described the past five years as rewarding but challenging, citing the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent global disruptions. He said these conditions had reinforced the importance of resilient supply chains, digitalization and sustainability. “When the environment gets tough, that is where there is a bigger advantage or bigger differentiation that a company like us can bring to the table,” he said.
The label industry remains particularly exposed to disruptions in imported raw materials. Agarwal noted that the impact of oil-market volatility extends beyond fuel prices, as plastics, solvents, adhesives and coatings depend heavily on oil-derived inputs. “The industry today is heavily dependent on imports of raw material, not imports of finished goods,” he said.
He added that supply chain resilience is a key consideration in selecting suppliers and partners. Avery Dennison has sought to minimize disruptions by drawing on its global operations and partnerships, including during the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent periods of volatility. “We have been able to leverage our global strengths and our global partnerships to make sure that we can cushion each and every kind of disruption for our customers,” Agarwal said.
