Hi, Liz Cuneo here, editor in chief of Healthcare Packaging. I had the pleasure to attend Pharmapack 2026 in Paris last month.
While I was there, over the two days, I sat in many sessions, got to meet a lot of people, and saw some very interesting products on the expo show floor. So, in case you missed the event or just want to know what we think, I compiled 10 trends and takeaways from the show. I'm only gonna give you a teaser of each one. If you want to read more about any of them or all of them, please visit our website. Number one, thoughtful packaging systems must factor in user experience from the start.
Number 2, geopolitical shifts are redefining pharma's global playbook. Number 3 of course, growth in the GLP-1 market. Did you know that the market tripled in the last 2 years to now $60 billion segment?
Number 4, the idea that the user is the North Star. This is all about designing with the end user in mind.
Number 5, consumers today have more interest in their own health. Someone even said that they're acting like the "CEO of their health." That was all about connected and wearable devices in the growing segment.
Number 6, self-injection use at home is at an all-time high. What's really important with this? Clear instructions and limiting the sense of pain.
Number 7, buy-in is crucial to make large innovations happen, especially lofty sustainability goals.
Number 8, inclusive design starts with deep research into the diseased population.
Number 9, RFID data collection is more than just gathering information, it's making sense of it.
And number 10. Industry growth and efficiency, sustainability, and innovation begins with idea sharing. Several sessions touched on the importance of collaboration, as well as looking beyond the category for inspiration.
Well, there you have it. Those are my top trends and takeaways from Pharmapack last week. So, check out our website and read more about all of these, and you'll get a glimpse of what some of the sessions talked about regarding these topics.
