“The Printing and Printed Packaging Market 2026”
In the first half of 2026, intensive work continued on the preparation of the 11th edition of the report “The Printing and Printed Packaging Market” The project is pan-European in scope and includes an analysis of the printing sector and the printed packaging industry, with particular emphasis on economic, educational, and social conditions.
Completion of the Survey
One of the most important milestones achieved in the first half of the year was the completion of the survey collection process targeting the project’s three main audiences:
- vocational teachers and lecturers involved in education for the printing and packaging industries;
- entrepreneurs and company representatives operating in the sector;
- students preparing to enter the workforce in the industry.
In all 12 countries participating in the project, partner NGOs actively supported the survey by inviting representatives from all three respondent groups to participate. Thanks to the involvement of industry organizations, schools, universities, and educational institutions, the survey covered a broad range of stakeholders associated with the printing and packaging sector in Central and Eastern Europe.
A survey aimed at business owners was sent to over 1,000 companies operating in the printing, packaging, and related sectors in Central and Eastern Europe. At the same time, a survey aimed at the educational community was distributed to most universities, colleges, and vocational schools offering programs related to printing, packaging production, printing technologies, and related fields in the region.
This broad distribution of the surveys made it possible to reach both companies representing various technologies and market segments and those responsible for training future professionals, as well as students, considering a career in the industry.
The collected responses constitute an extensive knowledge base on the current state of the sector, its workforce needs, educational challenges, and the competencies expected from the perspective of both employers and current and future employees.
Macroeconomic Analysis of National Markets
Concurrently, a macroeconomic analysis of the printing and packaging sectors is being conducted in all 12 project-participating countries in Central and Eastern Europe:
- Poland;
- Ukraine;
- Austria;
- the Czech Republic;
- Slovakia;
- Hungary;
- Romania;
- Bulgaria;
- Moldova;
- Lithuania;
- Estonia.
- Latvia
The goal of this stage is not only to present data for individual countries, but also to enable comparisons between them and to identify common trends, structural differences, and potential areas for regional cooperation.
The goal of this stage is not only to present data for individual countries, but also to enable comparisons and identify common trends, structural differences, and potential areas for regional cooperation.
The Global Dimension of the Project
International cooperation remains a key element of this initiative. The project is being developed with the participation of industry organizations, educational institutions, experts, and business representatives from Europe and other regions of the world.
Of particular importance is the close collaboration with organizations from Western European countries (Italy, France, Germany, Portugal, and the United Kingdom) and Turkey, whose support and commitment to promoting the educational aspect of the publication have made it possible to collect survey responses from countries outside the Central and Eastern European region as well.
Cooperation with institutions from Japan, China, and India allows us to broaden the report’s perspective beyond the European market. Information on Asian markets will also help identify best practices that can serve as inspiration for companies, while insights into education systems in Japan, China, and India will shed light on global challenges affecting the entire industry.
Conferences and Activities Carried Out Under the BEST Agenda
In the first half of 2026, a series of international conferences and meetings organized under the BEST Agenda was held in collaboration with the Warsaw University of Technology.
The acronym BEST stands for: Business – Education – Science – Technology.
The BEST Agenda is one of the main pillars of the project. Its goal is to create a sustainable platform for cooperation among all market stakeholders, companies, vocational schools and universities, research institutions, industry organizations, and technology providers.
The activities undertaken focus on identifying the industry’s future competency needs, supporting modern vocational education, promoting collaboration between academia and business, and showcasing technologies that influence the development of the printing and packaging industries.
Topics discussed during the conference included, among others:
- the future of vocational and academic education;
- labor shortages and demographic changes;
- companies’ expectations of graduates;
- the development of dual education;
- upskilling and reskilling of employees;
- automation and digitization of production processes;
- the development of modern printing and packaging production technologies;
- collaboration between companies, universities, and schools;
- corporate social responsibility and ESG initiatives;
- legislative changes affecting companies in Europe
Project representatives also participated in industry conferences and meetings held on three continents. These events were used to present the report’s findings, promote the BEST values, and develop cooperation with industry organizations, educational institutions, and technology partners.
These activities helped increase the project’s international visibility, attract new experts and partners, and gather additional information on the industry’s development in various parts of the world.
Preparation of Publications for the Report
Work is also currently underway to compile and prepare publications that will be included in the individual volumes of the report. These materials will be educational, expert-driven, and sponsored in nature.
Educational and expert publications will cover, among other topics:
- the future of vocational and academic education;
- collaboration between businesses and schools and universities;
- innovation and research and development;
- automation, robotization, and digitization;
- the use of artificial intelligence;
- printing and packaging production technologies;
- business management;
- sustainable development, CSR, and ESG;
- best practices from the countries participating in the project.
Sponsored content will enable project partners to showcase their expertise, technological solutions, products, services, and implementation examples that support the industry’s development. The aim is to maintain a clear distinction between independent analyses and expert publications and content prepared by partners and sponsors.
Next Stages of the Project
In the coming months, work will focus primarily on:
- completing the analysis of survey results;
- preparing national and regional analyses;
- editing and selecting expert publications;
- preparing materials from partners and sponsors;
- developing recommendations for businesses, educational institutions, and industry organizations;
- graphic and editorial preparation of individual volumes of the report;
- organizing promotional activities and the publication launch.
The results achieved to date—particularly the scale of the research conducted, the involvement of respondents from 12 countries, the development of cooperation with European and Asian partners, and the organization of international events under the BEST Agenda—confirm the regional and international nature of the project.
The report will be one of the few sources of market data, but it will also serve as a practical tool to support decision-making by public institutions, industry organizations, and entrepreneurs. Above all, it will also be a source of knowledge for students, high schoolers, and researchers who are considering a career in the printing and packaging industry.
Another step that will support the industry is the creation, alongside the report’s publication, of a map of industry-related nongovernmental organizations, research institutions, schools, and universities. An important element will be the creation of a parallel map of companies ready to collaborate in workforce training!
A final, yet no less important, achievement in the preparation of the report is drawing conclusions and lessons from the Industry Skills Center (a professional development center) run by the project implementers, the only such center in the country dedicated to the printing and packaging industry. All the aforementioned achievements lay the foundation for the further development of cooperation between business, education, science, and technology—BEST for the industry.