Packaging and labels in 2025 and beyond: Relevance in motion

The world is awash in plastic waste and people are concerned, driving consumer (and regulatory) demand for more sustainable packaging materials and methods.³ Consumer preference for shopping and buying online is at an all-time high, with ecommerce volume expected to continue grow over the long term.⁴ And while the rate of inflation has cooled, the cost of packaging raw materials is higher than ever.⁵

Through aesthetics and messaging, packaging design has always had a big influence on consumer purchasing decisions and brand perception—the popularity and pervasiveness of social media have only increased that influence and expanded its reach.⁶

These are among the many forces that collectively are driving change for designers and producers of packaging, change that represents a major opportunity for industry innovators.

Brands care about sustainability because shoppers care

A recent study found that a full 90% of consumers are more likely to buy from brands with sustainable packaging, 43% of whom saying they are willing to pay more.⁷ And 68% are actively stepping up their efforts to reduce environmental impact through their purchase decisions.⁸

Brands have taken notice. Some 74% of brand owners have said that packaging converters’ ability to provide documented sustainability information is very important, with 57% characterizing meeting sustainability goals as a top-five packaging challenge.⁹

More laws are holding packaging producers responsible

At the state level, legislatures are putting increasing pressure on packagers to reduce their climate impact through Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulations. Of the more than 120 recycling-related state bills tracked in 2024, the majority were related to EPR, such as California’s SB 54, which requires packaging producers to reduce single-use packaging and design to increase recycling rates.¹⁰ Regardless of national politics, state-level actions affect brands nationwide.

Exploding commerce growth is driving change in packaging design

Accelerated by the pandemic, online shopping and purchasing growth are here to stay. In 2023, global ecommerce sales reached $5.8 trillion and are projected to increase by 39% to more than $8 trillion by 2027.¹¹

With 78% of packaging and 79% of label producers seeing a rise in their online business in 2024, more than half are now designing their packaging specifically for ecommerce.¹² Over the next two years, 89% of packagers expect to make design changes to enhance functionality, 36% of whom expect to make major changes, including increased strength for product protection, reduced weight to minimize shipping costs, and other refinements to optimize storage and distribution efficiency.¹³

Ecommerce growth is spurring the development of new paper-based packaging materials that are both lighter and stronger, increased automation to speed package processing and enhance tracking, and “smart packaging” with scannable graphics that add a virtual element to enrich the user experience.¹⁴

Package design aesthetics matter more than ever

Visual appeal remains a key consideration in packaging and labels. 48% of ecommerce packaging producers rated it as a top driver of design changes¹⁵—after all, visual impact on the doorstep and when it’s opened in the home are important aspects of the buyer experience.

Whether the shelf is in a warehouse or a store, strategies to improve packaging look and feel are on the increase. Current trends include increasing visual and tactile appeal through foil, embossing and special coatings—and digital print technologies, which are making these improvements more affordable and widely accessible.¹⁶ Also on the rise: eco-friendly techniques such as compostable coatings and bio-based/recyclable foils.¹⁷

The benefit of all this seems pretty clear. Studies have shown that consumers are willing to pay up to 25% more for products with a premium packaging look and feel.¹⁸