India Pharma Outlook Team | Tuesday, 06 January 2026
The 3rd Edition of Pack.Nxt successfully concluded on 16 December 2025 at The Lalit, Mumbai, bringing together senior packaging leaders, brand owners, converters, policymakers, consultants, and technology enablers for a full day of honest conversations, practical insights, and real-world learnings. With sustainability, smart technologies, the circular economy, and regulatory readiness at the heart of discussions, Pack.Nxt once again proved why it has become a must-attend platform for India’s packaging ecosystem.
From early-morning networking to packed conference halls and an energetic exhibition floor, the atmosphere reflected one clear sentiment: packaging is no longer just about protection and aesthetics. It is about responsibility, intelligence, and collaboration, and increasingly, about business resilience and consumer trust.
Opening Conversations
The day began with a powerful opening panel on Packaging at the Crossroads: Smart, Digital & Sustainable as One, moderated by Yogesh Sharma from KPMG India. Industry leaders from Flipkart, Diageo India, Shree Renuka Sugars, and the Packaging Industry Association of India discussed how digitalisation, sustainability goals, and operational efficiency must move forward together rather than in silos.
Panelists emphasised that smart packaging and sustainability cannot be treated as parallel agendas. They highlighted how data-driven decision-making, design-for-recyclability, and digital tools are becoming essential to meet evolving consumer expectations while staying compliant and cost-conscious. The discussion reinforced a key takeaway echoed throughout the day: future-ready packaging must be both intelligent and responsible by design.
From Circular Economy Theory to Ground Reality
One of the most engaging sessions of the morning focused on From Theory to Practice: Circular Economy in Packaging. Moderated by Rajesh Kumar Gera, the panel featured voices from Ribotl, Cipla Health, and the Indian Centre for Plastics in the Environment.
The conversation moved beyond buzzwords and explored what circularity actually looks like on the ground. Speakers discussed real challenges around material choices, recyclability infrastructure, procurement constraints, and scale. A key insight shared was that India’s strength lies in frugal innovation, where circular solutions must make commercial sense to succeed. Panelists underlined that circular economy outcomes are achievable only when brand owners, converters, recyclers, and policymakers work in sync rather than in isolation.
Smart Packaging, New Materials and Data-Driven Design
Post-break, the agenda shifted into deep dives on smart packaging technologies, new material innovations, and AI-led packaging design. Panels explored how packaging is evolving from being purely functional to becoming interactive, connected, and information-rich.
Speakers highlighted how packaging is increasingly being viewed as valuable “real estate”- a touchpoint that can communicate authenticity, enable traceability, and engage consumers beyond the shelf. From QR-enabled interactions to smarter supply chain visibility, the discussions reflected how technology is reshaping packaging’s role across the value chain.
Discussions on biopolymers, compostables, and recyclable laminates reflected the industry’s growing maturity in material choices. Speakers from leading FMCG and healthcare companies shared real deployment experiences, emphasising that material innovation must align with existing recycling ecosystems rather than remain limited to pilots.
In a moment that stood out for its simplicity and impact, Mr. Gera invited the entire audience to take a pledge that they would not waste and would not allow others around them to waste. The gesture struck a chord across the room, reminding delegates that sustainability is driven not only by technology and policy, but also by everyday choices and collective accountability.
The session on AI, IoT & Data-Driven Packaging Design drew strong interest, highlighting how data, automation, and predictive tools are already influencing packaging performance, artwork management, quality control, and operational efficiency at scale.
Making Sustainability Affordable and Regulation-Ready
In the afternoon, the focus turned to one of the most pressing questions for the industry: how to make sustainability affordable, scalable, and practical. Leaders from Wockhardt, Emami, Wipro Consumer Care, Godrej Consumer Products, and Polycab shared candid insights on balancing cost pressures with long-term sustainability commitments.
Speakers stressed that affordability will be the real accelerator of sustainable packaging adoption in India, and that innovation must deliver both environmental and economic value. Collaboration with suppliers, standardisation, and long-term planning emerged as recurring themes.
The final knowledge session on Regulatory Readiness brought together regulatory experts and industry veterans from Marico, DFM Foods, Haldiram, Amazon, Institute of Packaging, Mumbai and Food and Drug Administration, Maharashtra, to decode EPR, labelling norms, and compliance expectations. The discussion underlined the importance of proactive regulatory planning, robust documentation, and internal alignment, especially as enforcement and scrutiny continue to increase across categories.
Pack.Nxt Awards 2025: Celebrating Purpose in Action
The day concluded with the Pack.Nxt Awards Ceremony, recognising organisations that are not just talking about sustainability, but delivering measurable impact through technology, partnerships, and best practices.
Each award told a story of innovation, credibility, and commitment, reinforcing the idea that sustainable packaging is no longer aspirational. It is achievable, scalable, and business-relevant.
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