Over 200 submissions from 17 countries.
The jury has met. The results will be announced on July 30, 2026.
Thank you for the great interest! The awards will be announced here on July 30. All competition participants will be notified personally. The exclusive award ceremony - the celebration for the winners - will take place in Berlin on November 19, 2026.
Award and Ceremony
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 November 2026, all award-winning innovations will be presented at a special industry event. In this exclusive setting, we will also reveal who will be honored with the even more prestigious Gold Award.
The ceremonial and exclusive award presentation will take place on Thursday, November 19, 2026, from 12:00 to 16:00 in Berlin, Friedrichstraße. Look forward to the presentation of the awards, a festive celebration of the winners, a photo wall for lasting impressions, and an inspiring networking event – a true celebration of excellence.
Key Dates
The submission period begins on March 3 and ends on June 5, 2026.
Submission period March 3 – June 5, 2026
Jury session July 1–2, 2026
Announcement of winners July 30, 2026
Award ceremony The exclusive award ceremony will take place on Thursday, November 19, 2026, from 12:00 to 16:00 in Berlin, Friedrichstraße.
Who can take part?
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 extended until June 5
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.
The most important points at a glance
Cross-material and cross-industry
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.
Young Talent (packaging concepts from school pupils, trainees, students)
Looking back to 2025
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.
