NEWS

2026 TRENDS: HOW IS THE FOOD PACKAGING MARKET EVOLVING?

25 February 2026

For the food packaging sector, 2026 is expected to be a year of consolidation of the macro-trends that have already emerged in recent years. Innovation, sustainability, and safety are becoming essential elements in the industrial model of companies that aim to remain competitive. At Resaplast, we are specialists in the production of food-grade polypropylene packaging and we are called upon to interpret these trends through technical rigor, research, and practical application.

The ongoing transformation is driven by three main factors.

 

Informed and demanding consumers

The growing attention of consumers to health and transparency is reshaping the dialogue between industry and market. The focus is on the complete safety of the materials used in packaging and the absence of potentially harmful substances. As a result, buyers increasingly require higher and certified levels of safety and transparency regarding material composition. In response, Resaplast implements systematic controls and process analyses, ensuring the full suitability of PP for food contact, its compliance with MOCA regulations and the most important industry certifications, guaranteeing: compositional suitability of materials, compliance in terms of overall and specific migration limits, functional suitability of the packaging, purity of non-plastic components, and microbiological safety.

 

Strict European regulations

The new European regulatory framework, driven by the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), makes sustainability an essential industrial requirement. Reuse, recyclability, waste reduction, and circular design are becoming indispensable parameters. At Resaplast, we integrate these principles daily into our production model.

 

New market dynamics

The expansion of food e-commerce requires packaging capable of withstanding the complex logistics typical of online shipments, while protecting organoleptic properties and ensuring optimized shelf life. Resaplast PP containers meet these requirements thanks to mechanical strength, dimensional stability, secure closure systems, and thermal insulation, offering solutions suitable for complex supply chains and digital distribution.

 

It is within this context that the trends redefining food packaging in 2026 are taking shape.

  1. Demonstrable and measurable sustainability: recyclable, reusable, and mono-material packaging, optimized to reduce waste, designed according to circular economy principles, and with a reduced carbon footprint are among the most requested requirements in the market. At Resaplast, the entire packaging life cycle is built around sustainability principles, integrating low-energy machinery, renewable-powered plants, and design solutions oriented toward reuse and total recyclability.
  2. Minimalism: clean lines, calibrated transparency, and the reduction of unnecessary elements convey authenticity and reinforce the perception of sustainability. Our production allows us to achieve the desired characteristics to enhance the final product through a simple and refined aesthetic.
  3. Accessible packaging: easy opening, simplicity of use, and user-friendly design make packaging accessible to a broader audience. Resaplast molds follow the principles of industrial ergonomics through calibrated rigidity, ease of handling, and optimized geometries to improve the overall user experience.
  4. Digital innovation: smart labels and QR codes transform packaging into a direct communication channel between brand and consumer, improving traceability, transparency, and access to additional product information. Our IML labeling service allows us to ensure a consistent purchasing experience across physical and digital channels through packaging.
  5. Growing custom packaging market: colors, formats, and designs tailored for niche product lines are becoming tools to differentiate products, improving brand recognition and positioning. We respond to these needs by expanding the Resaplast range toward references dedicated to premium segments and by offering customization options for color and labeling.
  6. Reuse: robust, durable containers designed for multiple usage cycles extend product life and reduce waste generation, enabling more circular consumption models. The mechanical properties of PP allow us to design high-resistance, versatile containers that are fully suited for reuse.

 

Packaging is no longer a simple container; it has evolved into a central lever for the entire food supply chain and a key component of a product’s value proposition.

Resaplast addresses these challenges by integrating material innovation, digitalization, food safety, and circular design into a single industrial model, to meet the needs of today’s and tomorrow’s market.

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