Pro Carton honors carton packaging innovation at 30th European Carton Excellence Award

The European Carton Excellence Award marked its 30th edition in Rome with a broad set of winners across special recognition and product categories. The event spotlighted carton packaging designs focused on sustainability, child safety, premium branding and the shift from plastic to fiber-based materials.

Why it matters: - The European Carton Excellence Award remains a major showcase for carton and folding carton packaging innovation. - The 2026 winners point to demand for packaging that combines sustainability, product protection, premium presentation and easier recyclability. - Record public engagement showed broad industry visibility, with 8,716 votes cast for the public award.

What happened: - Pro Carton and ECMA staged the 30th European Carton Excellence Award at Villa Miani in Rome. - Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG, Fibenol and Bobst sponsored the program. - The awards recognized winners across four special recognition categories and seven product categories. - The competition drew more than 120 entries. - The jury included Satkar Gidda, Sanjeev Das of Unilever, Lotte Krekels of Carrefour and Susanne Lippitsch.

The details: - The top honor, Carton of the Year, went to Autajon Packaging Belgium and Metsä Board for the Sephora Advent calendar 2025. - The Sephora design uses a folding screen structure with hanging boxes to create an interactive gift experience. - The calendar pairs vivid colors and contemporary graphics with a rigid carton structure that also works as a decorative display. - The Innovation Award went to Alzamora Group and Billerud for OceanSaver KidGuard laundry capsules. - OceanSaver KidGuard uses a patented design aimed at reducing accidental child access while staying usable for adults. - The pack is made from a single piece of 460 g/m² Kraft crownboard. - Its integrated sliding-door and locking mechanism needs no extra components, which reduces material use and improves recyclability. - The design is fully automatable and passed AIJU tests for child-resistant packaging for children aged 12 to 35 months. - The Sustainability Award went to Offset Print & Packaging, a division of Alzamora, and Stora Enso for the Skin + Me “Pillow Skincare” subscription pack. - The pillow-inspired format combines product protection, brand experience and postal efficiency in a compact pack. - Its built-in product retention system removes the need for extra inserts, protective packaging or labels. - The design fits the 25 mm “large letter” format and uses Stora Enso Ensocoat 2S 400 g/m² board. - Public voting reached a new high in 2026, rising 15% from 2025. - Van Genechten Packaging and Stora Enso won the Public Award for the Rituals Deluxe Advent Calendar 2025. - The Rituals pack turns a compact gift box into a three-dimensional diorama with layered illustrations and lighting effects. - The new Art of Cartonboard award, sponsored by Fibenol, recognized technical skill and creative potential in cartonboard. - MM Packaging, at its MM Premium Vienna site, and Holmen Board and Paper won that category for Diamond Edge®. - Diamond Edge® is a premium bottle gift pack built with sharp, faceted edges integrated into the structure. - In food and beverage, Van Genechten Packaging and Stora Enso won the Confectionery Award for the Lindt & Sprüngli Felt Advent calendar. - The Lindt & Sprüngli design uses an innovative folding-carton insert to combine festive luxury with structural ingenuity. - In beverages, Alzamora Group and Metsä Board won for the brightly colored Buen Amigo tequila double pack for Zamora. - The Buen Amigo pack uses a fan-style deployment to create a premium opening experience while reflecting Mexican culture. - In Pharma & Health Care, PAWI Packaging Deutschland GmbH and Holmen Board and Paper won for the EasyGuard hearing-aid starter kit developed for Phonak. - EasyGuard shows how small-format packaging can deliver a premium look while supporting a full shift from plastic to fiber-based materials. - In Beauty & Cosmetics, MM Packaging GmbH at MMP Premium Polska Sp. z o.o. and Stora Enso were recognized for Pheym Eau de Parfum, a drawer-style perfume pack.

Between the lines: - The winning entries lean toward packaging that does more with less material. - Child safety, postal efficiency and premium shelf appeal are increasingly being designed into the same carton formats. - The record public vote suggests carton packaging is gaining broader consumer attention, not just trade recognition.

What's next: - The ECEA is likely to keep serving as a benchmark for fiber-based packaging design. - Future entries will probably continue pushing recyclable, automated and plastic-reducing formats. - Brands appear set to keep using cartonboard to support premium unboxing and stronger sustainability claims.

The bottom line: - The 30th ECEA showed carton packaging winning on three fronts at once: design, sustainability and commercial usefulness.