GrabLok crowned winner of Innovation Gallery 2026 at Packaging Innovations & Empack

Packaging Innovations & Empack 2026 has announced GrabLok from Westpak Group as the winner of this year’s Innovation Gallery.

Selected from a shortlist of ten innovations curated by an expert judging panel, the final decision was placed in the hands of attendees on 11 and 12 February 2026. Visitors explored each finalist on the dedicated Innovation Gallery feature wall before scanning a QR code displayed alongside the entries to cast their vote.

GrabLok tackles one of foodservice delivery's most persistent challenges: keeping orders sealed and trusted from kitchen to customer. Supplied as a linerless label on a perforated roll, it eliminates backing paper waste, applies in a single step to any bag size, and provides clear tamper evidence. It accomplished all this while being fast enough for the demands of a busy service environment and can also be branded or flood coated to a Pantone colour.

‘To win is absolutely incredible, especially against such strong competition,’ said Paul Magee, sales director at Westpak Group. ‘Since the rapid growth seen during Covid 19, packaging really never developed fast enough to keep up with the rise in home delivery food. GrabLok solves that. It is linerless, tamper evident, keeps food clean and safe, and it is faster to operate in store. The response at the show has been incredible, with interest from quick service restaurant chains and international distributors alike.’

Taking second place was a fully compostable liquid sachet developed in collaboration by Futamura UK, Repaq and GK Sondermaschinenbau. Based on Futamura's NatureFlex cellulose film technology and certified compostable in both industrial and home settings, it offers a viable end of life alternative to the complex multi-layer plastic structures that make conventional sachets difficult to recycle.

‘This year's Innovation Gallery presented the most exciting line up since its launch,’ said Sema Tezel Basbug, head of marketing – UK packaging portfolio at Easyfairs. ‘Our judging panel had a tough time narrowing the entries down to ten finalists but asking visitors to choose just one winner from such a strong and diverse shortlist proved an even tougher task. Congratulations to Westpak Group and Futamura on thoroughly deserved recognition. We asked visitors which innovation best represented the future of packaging, but the truth is that all ten finalists do exactly that in their own way. The future of packaging is in very safe hands.’

The standard this year was exceptionally high, with the judging panel noting both the technical depth and commercial readiness of submissions. From Huhtamaki and Xampla’s plastic free Morro coating, to Prevented Ocean Plastic’s food safe recycled polypropylene breakthrough, and PilloPak’s glue free Microflute LockWell tray, the shortlist reflects a sector combining sustainability ambition with real world functionality. Innovations such as Westpak Group Limited’s GrabLok, Futamura UK’s compostable liquid sachet and Trakya Pack’s UniGlass bottle protection further demonstrate how material science, circular design and operational efficiency are converging to shape the next generation of packaging solutions.

Packaging Innovations & Empack returns on 24 and 25 February 2027 at the NEC Birmingham.