.jpg)
Packaging and label design have gone through many changes over the years. Customer demand, sustainability standards, and brands looking for ways to stand out on the shelf are all factors shaping the industry.
72% of American consumers state their purchasing decisions were based on a product's packaging. That makes staying ahead of the latest packaging and consumer trends more important than ever.
Here at SnapPress, we identified the top five trends that defined the industry this year and that we expect will continue gaining momentum in 2026.
The Rise of Clear Labels
The “no-label” label look is a packaging trend that is clearly here to stay, and for good reason. This trend has been growing for years as the minimalistic aesthetic has been more prioritized by modern brands.
Small but mighty, clear labels make a bigger impact than you might think. Instead of the label hiding the product underneath, it creates a packaging experience that highlights what's inside.
Clear labels are predominantly utilized across the cosmetic and food/beverage industries, helping reinforce that the product inside is fresh and trustworthy, and they make your brand feel more transparent in every sense of the word.
Custom Packaging Tape for a Branded User Journey
Custom packaging tape has been on the rise within the past year, showing no signs of slowing down. Companies are utilizing this trend to create an unforgettable “unboxing moment” for their customers, helping companies stand out against their competition, and creating a memorable shipping experience for their customers.
For subscription box companies, custom packaging tape is slowly becoming a must-have instead of a nice-to-have.
When your product's label, packaging materials, and shipping box all feel connected, it creates a cohesive journey for your customer that reinforces your brand identity.
Sustainable At Every Step
Promoting sustainable practices is going to be essential by 2026. Even small choices like the labels you use can make a big impact on how sustainable your operations are.
Traditional wide-format machines aren't built to produce short-run quantities, making production for limited batches or custom designs hard to manage, resulting in an overabundance of extra labels.
Practices like these often will lead to countless labels sitting in a storage closet, or worse, being thrown away altogether.
Short-run digital label presses were designed to solve this problem. They allow you to print what you need, when you need it, resulting in a reduction of physical label waste and a reduction in the costs of materials.
Smart Labels and Custom Packaging Tape
You may be wondering, “What makes a label a smart label?”
A smart label is a packaging material that includes interactive elements, such as QR codes, that help navigate the user to their next step after purchase.
We have seen companies utilize this trend by including QR codes directing users to their loyalty programs, product education pages, and even their social accounts, encouraging users to share their order and tag the brand for user-generated content.
Personalized Packaging Experiences
Personalization is at the forefront of consumer preferences and packaging trends in 2025. This stems from 71% of consumers expecting companies to provide personalized interactions.
Customers want to feel connected to the brand, and there is no better way to achieve this than by creating tailored packaging experiences for the user.
Coca-Cola is the perfect example of a company that swept the nation with this trend during their “Share a Coke” campaign. By releasing bottles featuring over 200 names, this campaign invited customers to pick up a personalized bottle for their friends and family to share a Coke with.
What This Means for Your Labeling in 2026
While trends come and go, at SnapPress, we believe these packaging trends are here to stay.
Labeling and packaging design is more than just a platform to promote your brand; it is becoming an avenue to showcase design leadership, creativity, and a place to connect back to those who are purchasing your products.
With the SnapPress LP-1 digital label printer, you can bring your labeling and packaging design operations in-house, giving you and your team the ability to keep up with the latest trends without paying outsourced prices and without needing a designated printer technician.
Ready to see how the SnapPress LP-1 can transform your labeling and packaging? Request a free custom label sample today to see the quality firsthand.
Your FREE Label Samples Are Waiting
See what makes SnapPress LP-1 labels stand out by experiencing their quality and durability firsthand
