Sign in: Enter your email and password, then confirm via email. Enter your data: Provide contact details and billing address (€500 plus VAT per submission; free of charge for pupils, apprentices, and students). Choose a category: Does your entry fit Design, Functionality, Sustainability, Transport and Logistics, Packaging Machinery, Product Presentation, or others? Describe your innovation: Write a brief summary (innovation, advantages, comparison old/new). Upload documents: Upload images, presentations, sketches, certificates, videos, and additional information for the jury (samples to be sent by post later).
Are you a designer, developer, manufacturer or user of innovative packaging solutions or are you one of the creative newcomers to the industry? Then submit your innovations and best solutions to the most important European packaging showcase by 23 May 2026.
All players along the packaging value chain are invited to take part in the German Packaging Award: companies, institutions, and individuals, such as clients, designers, developers, manufacturers, and users of packaging, as well as students, apprentices, and pupils. Participation is expressly open to international entrants, meaning that submissions may come from both Germany and abroad.
products, prototypes and concepts from the entire value chain
10 categories with fixed and transparent evaluation criteria
Independent and broad-based jury of experts
For companies, organisations and individuals
For participants from Germany and abroad
The big stage for all kinds of packaging innovations
The new European Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation PPWR will gradually come into force from August 2026. This will create challenges for our industry that will act as drivers and accelerators for innovations and new solutions.
However, the importance and scope of innovation work goes far beyond merely fulfilling political requirements. Innovations make all the difference. This of course applies to individual companies which use new solutions to gain competitive advantage, create talking points and even unique selling points over the competition.
It equally applies to the economy, society and the environment as a whole too. Real progress can only be achieved through innovation. And innovative packaging is essential for our future. It is essential for the safety of our food, goods and merchandise, to keep people and companies supplied with what they need, as well as to protect resources, the environment and the climate.
Opportunities and benefits
Visibility and a big stage The German Packaging Award is the biggest and most renowned showcase for packaging innovations in Europe. The winning teams will be presented with trophies, certificates, receive widespread attention, as well as the applause of the industry. We are delighted to welcome industry, trade, brands and the media here.
Best advertising, recognition and prestige Document your innovative strength and future-proof concepts, and demonstrate your responsibility towards the environment and society. Winning the German Packaging Award is the ultimate proof of quality and pioneering solutions. Publicise your award for an unlimited period of time and anywhere you like.
A decisive edge over the competition Get credible arguments for your communication and marketing. Impress customers, consumers, partners and future employees.
Motivation and rewards for your own team Outstanding innovations and solutions only exist because clever and creative minds have taken on a challenge and solved it. This can and quite rightly should be celebrated and honoured. The German Packaging Award trophy is visible proof of this, and the award ceremony is the perfect place to showcase it.
Our independent jury personally and thoroughly evaluates each submission during a two-day jury session. The ten categories of this showcase provide the right setting for every solution and innovation to shine. Entries may be submitted in one or multiple categories simultaneously. With the Gold Awards, the jury can additionally honor innovations that stand out even among the distinguished winners of the Packaging Award.
The winners of the German Packaging Award 2026 will be announced on July 30. In autumn 2026, all winning innovations will be presented at a special industry event, where we will also reveal who will receive the even more exclusive Gold Award.
Samples may be sent from May 4 and must arrive no later than June 25, 2026, for evaluation by the jury. The shipping address and reference number will be provided with the confirmation of participation and invoice.
Submission period March 3 – May 23, 2026
Jury session July 1–2, 2026
Announcement of winners July 30, 2026
Award ceremony Autumn 2026 (exact date and venue to be announced soon)
Forward-looking solutions for people, companies and the environment
Over 200 submissions from 15 countries and three continents entered the race for the German Packaging Award 2025. After thoroughly examining every one of them, the independent jury of experts honoured 37 outstanding innovations across all materials with the coveted award at Europe’s largest packaging exhibition.
The winners come from Germany, Iran, Austria, Switzerland and the USA. We also received submissions from China, England, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden, Serbia, Spain, the Czech Republic and Turkey.
A brief overview and summary of the German Packaging Award 2025 can be found here.
Impressions from the 2025 award ceremony at FACHPACK in Nuremberg
1 / 21
The innovations cover the entire range of materials. They use glass, wood, rigid or flexible plastic, metal, paper, cardboard and corrugated cardboard.
We look forward to pioneering solutions and new standards for closed-loop systems, reusability and refillability, for the development of innovative sources and applications for recyclate, for new bio-based materials, optimal unboxing and intuitive user experiences, for mono-material composites and barrier functions, for product protection, residual emptying, first-opening protection, single-variety recycling and for reusable systems.
