Our categories
The German Packaging Award is organised into 10 categories. This targets competition entries more precisely and makes the awards more prestigious and meaningful. It also provides an even better platform for innovation and inventiveness in the packaging industry.
Categories and evaluation criteria
10 categories ensure that your innovation can shine in the right environment. You can submit your products or prototypes whichever category you feel is most appropriate. You can also enter your packaging solution in a second category, subject to an additional fee.
Each category has fixed criteria, which you can view here.
1. Design
Brand fit
Uniqueness
Quality
Environmental compatibility
Consistency
Clever/Smart
2. Functionality & convenience
Handling
Construction
Serviceability
Product protection
Anti-counterfeiting
Theft protection
Child safety
Migration protection
Added value
3. Presentation of goods
Display and/or promotion effect
Sales promotion/ purchase incentive
Identification & information
Independence/differentiation
Brand/category congruence
Construction/handling
Emotionality
4. Cost effectiveness
Process optimisation
Packaging material, packaging material savings
Minimisation of logistics and distribution costs
Reduction of packaging and/or disposal costs
5. Sustainability
Recyclability/design for recycling
Ecological benefits
Material selection and use
Reusability
Use and conservation of resources
Sustainability subcategories
What is the focus of the submission in the area of sustainability?
a) Material reduction
b) Material substitution
c) Use of recycled material
d) Recyclability
e) Bioplastics and renewable raw materials
f) Reusable, refill and deposit systems
g) Energy savings
h) Overall sustainability concept (if at least three of the above points are fulfilled)
6. Logistics and material flow
Transport characteristics
Material selection
System optimisation
Handling
Construction
Product protection
Effect in supply chain
7. New material
Material substitution
Improved packaging properties
Ecological benefits
Technical innovation
Implementation in a new area
Economic benefits
8. Digitalisation
Automation solutions (components, processes)
Digital printing
Physical tools
(sensors, digital markers, mobile robotics, drones, smart containers, etc.)
Virtual tools
(supply chain event management, predictive analytics, e-management, etc.)
Hybrid tools (chatbots, matching platforms, etc.)
9. Packaging machines (engineering, technology, software)
Innovation level
Complexity
Economic efficiency
Ecological sustainability (resource utilisation/conservation/protection, closure/improvement
of material and energy cycles)
Safety for the operator, product and environment (including hygienic design/safe cleaning
and disinfection)
Improving information networking, control, regulation, machine and process monitoring
Ease of use/ergonomics
Quality of the documentation submitted (comprehensibility, completeness in terms of the
Conveying a detailed and overall impression, ...)
10.Young talent (packaging ideas by school pupils, trainees, students)
Creativity/originality
Fulfilment of the task
Performance
Sustainability