It might feel like summer has only just arrived, but for many retailers and food and drink businesses, Christmas planning is already underway.
That’s wise - the festive season is often the busiest trading period of the year and leaving packaging decisions until October means limited stock, longer lead times and fewer customisation options.
When considering packaging options, it’s a good idea to be aware of the trends, so that your offering can be in line with customer expectations - or even exceed them. So, with that in mind, what are the key things you should consider for Christmas 2026?
1. Sustainable and eco-conscious materials
Perhaps the biggest concern is, of course, sustainability and eco-friendliness of packaging. Businesses are under increasing pressure to reduce their environmental impact and hit environmental goals, particularly at Christmas when waste is at its highest. Plus, we all live on this planet, so we should do what we can to protect it.
Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to package responsibly in 2026. For example, you could encase your items in fully recyclable boxes made from sustainable materials, replace protective plastic wrap with high quality kraft paper, use shredded paper as fillers and more.
Not only are these solutions better for the environment, but they are also often just as effective as fossil-based packaging, not to mention more affordable.
2. Premium finishes
Demand for premium gifting continues to grow, particularly in food, drink and corporate gifting. This makes luxury packaging more important than ever.
If you give your gift a premium finish, such as embossing, laminating or varnishing, it will dramatically increase the perceived value of the product, create a sense of delight in the customer, and make it stand out to the Christmas crowds.
For example, if you sell wine, hampers or artisan food, consider using textured kraft board, foil blocking and other finishing touches to create a more premium feel. That extra step beyond the standard can make all the difference.
3. Personalisation
Brand is everything, so naturally companies are keen to reinforce it whenever they can. This is particularly important at Christmas, where higher customer spend and gifting makes their products go far and wide.
For many, personalised packaging is an effective tool to raise the profile of a business during the holiday season. For example, a plain box is forgettable, but a branded box featuring a company’s logo immediately tells the recipient who it’s from. It builds anticipation and solidifies the brand in their mind.
Of course, personalisation has a longer lead-time than buying an off-the-shelf solution, and as Christmas gets closer, the window to sort it gets shorter. It’s important to start arranging it as soon as possible because the more time you have, the more customisation options you’ll have available.
4. Luxury gifts
Luxury gifting continues to be popular and whether it’s artisanal foods, high-class cosmetics or quality wines and spirits, every individual element of the customer experience must be beyond exceptional.
That means good packaging isn’t just desirable - it’s pivotal. It’s the first thing the customer sees and touches, so it needs to match the premium quality of the products themselves.
If you’re sending luxury gifts, consider things like silk-lined containers, attractive hampers, embossed logos, high-quality wrapping paper. Make the unboxing part of the experience!
5. Retail merchandising
For food and drink suppliers, how something looks is every bit as important as how it tastes. In a crowded season, they need display solutions that turn heads and draw attention towards their products.
Countertop presentation units, serving boards, stands, crates, signage, bags… all these things can make a palpable difference in a shop or café.
If you want to make your presentation look too good to pass up, you should consider what you need to achieve that. Do you want elegant and unobtrusive displays that pull focus onto the goods themselves, or attractive solutions that look good in their own right? Maybe you want personalised displays that highlight your brand.
Have a concept in mind from the start and you’ll find items that work together to create cohesive displays.
6. Corporate gifting
It’s a turbulent time for businesses - increasing costs, unstable markets, increased competition… the list of challenges goes on. Customer retention is paramount, and Christmas gifts are a way to inspire affection and loyalty.
Of course, the gift given reflects the company, so it should be presented in such a way as to show clients that you value their business. Quality packaging with a premium finish gets that message across loud and clear.
The packaging should also ideally be personalised to drive home your brand in their minds - customers need to know and remember that this came from you.
Prepare for success
Those were the six Christmas trends you should consider in 2026. Remember - those businesses that ready their packaging early have the widest choice of stock, greater opportunities for customisation and fewer last-minute headaches.
Whether you're planning luxury hampers, wine gifts, retail displays or branded corporate gifting, WBC can help you create packaging that's ready well before the festive rush.
Get in touch today to discuss your Christmas packaging requirements.
