Packaging Innovations & Empack is set to launch the packaging industry’s 2025 calendar with an inspiring event on 12-13 February 2025 at the NEC Birmingham. The exhibition will showcase cutting-edge packaging products, services, and solutions for iconic FMCG brands, online retailers, and key industry players, emphasizing innovation and sustainability.
With three dedicated content stages, attendees will gain thought-provoking insights into sustainability, production optimization, and future packaging technologies. The Circular Economy, Supply Chain, and Innovation stages will feature over 35 free talks, debates, and interviews with thought leaders across various industries.
The initial wave of speaker announcements includes influential names from the packaging sector and beyond, delivering visionary, insight-packed content. Miguel Arevalo, Google’s Packaging Innovation Lead, will discuss the company’s journey toward plastic-free packaging, highlighting innovative solutions like stretchable paper and molded fiber pulp. He will also discuss the open-sourced Plastic-Free Packaging Design Guide, which aims to inspire collaboration in the packaging industry.
Tey Bannerman from McKinsey Design ponders the question, “Designing with AI: The End of Creativity as We Know It?” According to McKinsey’s estimate, as uncertainty grows surrounding future design roles in organizations, Tey will argue that AI empowers designers to explore new ideas and enhance productivity, potentially unlocking $60 billion in productivity within product research and design.
A panel discussion titled Local Authorities Leading the Shift will be chaired by Cathy Cook, chair of LARAC, alongside Dr Andy Rees, head of waste strategy for the Welsh Government, and other experts from across the four nations, to explore how local authorities across the UK drive the transition to a circular economy. The panel aims to inspire further action and collaboration through best practices, practical case studies, and detailed policy insights. Attendees will learn from regional leaders about successful initiatives such as community recycling programs and reuse hubs that reduce waste and promote sustainability.
“By attending Packaging Innovations & Empack 2025, professionals in the food, beverage, personal care, and pharmaceutical sectors can gain critical insights into the latest packaging technologies and trends,” said Casey McHugh, conference & community manager. “With over 490 exhibitors and 30 free seminars, this event offers unique opportunities for learning, networking, and discovering sustainable solutions.”
Lowelle Bryan, Refill & Reuse Specialist at WRAP, will lead a discussion on the insights gained from retailer case studies in reuse and refill initiatives. The panel will focus on what retailers aim to learn from these initiatives, predictions for future infrastructure developments in refill systems, and how these efforts intersect with evolving consumer habits. Verity Davidge, director of policy at Make UK, will discuss the urgent need for a coherent industrial strategy for UK manufacturers in the packaging sector. Victoria Brownlie, chief policy officer at the British Beauty Council, will moderate a panel exploring the necessary evolution of sustainable packaging in the beauty industry, focusing on topics like upcycling, refill, and sustainable materials, giving insight into an industry that is making great strides in becoming more circular.
The speaker lineup features a diverse array of experts poised to share their insights on the future of sustainable packaging. The first tranche of expert speakers includes Gillian Garside-Wight, director of consulting at Aura Consultants, Paul Jenkins, founder of The PackHub, and Martin Kersh, executive director of the Foodservice Packaging Association, will again preside over the popular Big Debate.
Further enriching the discussion are Peter Macqueen, principal lecturer at Sheffield Hallam University; Dimitra Rappou, executive director of sustainable products at CPI; Martin Settle, senior manager of polymer science at Reckitt; Jo Stephenson, managing director of Think B2B Marketing, and Tom Stone, packaging development manager at Bakkavor, and Mike Wilson, chief automation officer for the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC).