Packaging 2030: Compliance, Innovation and Collaboration Will Define the Next Five Years, Says IIP Chairman

At the curtain raiser for Bharat Packaging Expo 2027 held at the Indian Institute of Packaging (IIP), Delhi Regional Centre, NS Sundaram, chairman of IIP Delhi and CEO of Paharpur 3P, shared his perspective on how policy, sustainability, and industry transformation will redefine packaging by 2030.

Sundaram opened by framing the vision behind Bharat Packaging Expo 2027, describing it as a platform designed not just for the flexible packaging sector but for the entire packaging value chain and FMCG industry. As a member of the organizing committee, he called on industry stakeholders to actively promote the event and help establish it as a globally recognized exhibition.

His main address, however, was about the future. What he laid out was a clear-eyed view of the structural changes heading toward the packaging industry, and what companies will need to do to navigate them.

A bigger role for packaging

Sundaram noted that during the 1990s, packaging was primarily focused on product protection, shelf life, and transportation. Today, the role of packaging has expanded dramatically.

“Packaging has become an important tool in terms of sustainability, regulation, consumer expectations and business growth,” he said.

That shift is the starting point for everything that follows. When packaging was a cost center focused on logistics, decisions were made on the operations floor. When packaging became a strategic lever for sustainability and brand differentiation, decisions migrated to the boardroom.

“Those days, packaging material was decided on the operations floor. Today, packaging strategy is decided in the boardroom,” Sundaram remarked.

Three forces shaping 2030

According to Sundaram, the next five years will bring significant changes as governments worldwide introduce stricter regulations related to recyclability, recycled content, carbon emissions, and waste management. While those evolving regulations create challenges, they also open new opportunities for companies prepared to adapt.

“Compliance is no longer going to be a back-end activity. It will become a key driver for market access and competitive advantage,” he emphasized.

Beyond regulation, Sundaram identified three critical factors that will determine success in the packaging industry by 2030.

The first is innovation. He stressed the need for continuous development of sustainable, recyclable, and resource-efficient packaging structures while maintaining operational and cost efficiencies. Innovation cannot be a side project. It has to be a sustained effort.

The second is compliance and transparency. According to Sundaram, traceability will become essential, requiring the industry to adopt digital tracking technologies such as QR codes and RFID systems to monitor packaging throughout its lifecycle and support waste management initiatives.

The third factor, and perhaps the most important, is collaboration. Sundaram stressed that sustainability cannot be achieved by packaging manufacturers alone. “Packaging is a collaborative effort involving brand owners, material suppliers, recyclers, regulators, and government,” he said. He explained that sustainable packaging solutions often require investments in machinery, collection systems, and recycling infrastructure, making cooperation across the value chain essential.

Consumer pressure adds urgency

Sundaram also pointed to changing consumer preferences, particularly among younger generations, who increasingly expect sustainable packaging solutions. As a result, packaging decisions are no longer confined to operational teams. The reputational stakes of getting packaging wrong have gone up.

Companies that fail to adapt risk more than regulatory penalties. They risk losing relevance with a generation of consumers who actively make purchasing decisions based on sustainability posture.

A call to action

Concluding his address, Sundaram urged the industry to view the coming transformation as an opportunity rather than a challenge. Companies that invest in sustainable packaging solutions, digital capabilities, and good manufacturing practices today will emerge as the industry leaders of tomorrow.

“Let us work together and build a packaging industry that is not only compliant and competitive, but also sustainable, resilient and future-ready,” he said, while expressing confidence that Bharat Packaging Expo 2027 can evolve into a world-class platform for the global packaging community.

For the Indian packaging industry specifically, the message is clear. The next five years will be defined less by who has the cheapest production and more by who has the most integrated, transparent, and sustainable supply chain. The companies that figure that out first will set the pace for everyone else.