2027 award categories
THE GLOBAL BENCHMARK FOR PACKAGING EXCELLENCE
The 2027 PAC Global Awards celebrate design, innovations and achievements advancing the packaging industry.
Seven award categories and thirty subcategories ensure every achievement has a place to be recognized.
Explore the categories and discover where your innovation belongs.
Entry forms coming soon.
New this year:
- Expanded categories to recognize emerging trends and industry innovation.
- New judging panels with specialized expertise across every award stream.
- Increased opportunities for entrants to gain international recognition.
*New additions highlighted in red.
BRAND MARKETING
9 subcategories
New Brand
1. Food
- Breakfast Cereals & Oatmeal
- Pasta, Rice & Grains
- Crackers, Cookies & Biscuits
- Chips, Popcorn & Salty Snacks
- Candy, Chocolate & Confectionery
- Baking Mixes & Ingredients
- Canned & Shelf-Stable Foods
- Sauces, Condiments & Spreads
- Coffee, Tea & Hot Beverages
- Frozen Foods & Prepared Meals
2. Beverage
- Soft Drinks & Carbonated Beverages
- Bottled Water & Enhanced Water
- Juice & Juice Drinks
- Coffee & Ready-to-Drink Coffee
- Tea & Ready-to-Drink Tea
- Energy & Sports Drinks
- Dairy & Plant-Based Beverages
- Beer, Cider & Ready-to-Drink (RTD) Beverages
- Functional & Wellness Beverages
3. Non-Food
- Household Cleaning Products
- Laundry Care
- Paper Products & Tissues
- Pet Care Products
- Home Fragrance & Air Care
- Batteries & Electrical Accessories
- Office & School Supplies
- Automotive Care Products
- Hardware & DIY Products
- Household Storage & Organization Products
Brand Extension
4. Food
- Breakfast Cereals & Oatmeal
- Pasta, Rice & Grains
- Crackers, Cookies & Biscuits
- Chips, Popcorn & Salty Snacks
- Candy, Chocolate & Confectionery
- Baking Mixes & Ingredients
- Canned & Shelf-Stable Foods
- Sauces, Condiments & Spreads
- Coffee, Tea & Hot Beverages
- Frozen Foods & Prepared Meals
5. Beverage
- Soft Drinks & Carbonated Beverages
- Bottled Water & Enhanced Water
- Juice & Juice Drinks
- Coffee & Ready-to-Drink Coffee
- Tea & Ready-to-Drink Tea
- Energy & Sports Drinks
- Dairy & Plant-Based Beverages
- Beer, Cider & Ready-to-Drink (RTD) Beverages
- Functional & Wellness Beverages
6. Non-Food
- Household Cleaning Products
- Laundry Care
- Paper Products & Tissues
- Pet Care Products
- Home Fragrance & Air Care
- Batteries & Electrical Accessories
- Office & School Supplies
- Automotive Care Products
- Hardware & DIY Products
- Household Storage & Organization Products
Revitalized Brand
7. Food
- Breakfast Cereals & Oatmeal
- Pasta, Rice & Grains
- Crackers, Cookies & Biscuits
- Chips, Popcorn & Salty Snacks
- Candy, Chocolate & Confectionery
- Baking Mixes & Ingredients
- Canned & Shelf-Stable Foods
- Sauces, Condiments & Spreads
- Coffee, Tea & Hot Beverages
- Frozen Foods & Prepared Meals
8. Beverage
- Soft Drinks & Carbonated Beverages
- Bottled Water & Enhanced Water
- Juice & Juice Drinks
- Coffee & Ready-to-Drink Coffee
- Tea & Ready-to-Drink Tea
- Energy & Sports Drinks
- Dairy & Plant-Based Beverages
- Beer, Cider & Ready-to-Drink (RTD) Beverages
- Functional & Wellness Beverages
9. Non-Food
- Household Cleaning Products
- Laundry Care
- Paper Products & Tissues
- Pet Care Products
- Home Fragrance & Air Care
- Batteries & Electrical Accessories
- Office & School Supplies
- Automotive Care Products
- Hardware & DIY Products
- Household Storage & Organization Products
STORE BRAND
(New Brand, Brand Extenison, Revitalized Brand)
3 subcategories
1. Food
- Breakfast Cereals & Oatmeal
- Pasta, Rice & Grains
- Crackers, Cookies & Biscuits
- Chips, Popcorn & Salty Snacks
- Candy, Chocolate & Confectionery
- Baking Mixes & Ingredients
- Canned & Shelf-Stable Foods
- Sauces, Condiments & Spreads
- Coffee, Tea & Hot Beverages
- Frozen Foods & Prepared Meals
2. Beverage
- Soft Drinks & Carbonated Beverages
- Bottled Water & Enhanced Water
- Juice & Juice Drinks
- Coffee & Ready-to-Drink Coffee
- Tea & Ready-to-Drink Tea
- Energy & Sports Drinks
- Dairy & Plant-Based Beverages
- Beer, Cider & Ready-to-Drink (RTD) Beverages
- Functional & Wellness Beverages
3. Non-Food
- Household Cleaning Products
- Laundry Care
- Paper Products & Tissues
- Pet Care Products
- Home Fragrance & Air Care
- Batteries & Electrical Accessories
- Office & School Supplies
- Automotive Care Products
- Hardware & DIY Products
- Household Storage & Organization Products
SPECIALTY
6 subcategories
1. Beauty
- Skin Care
- Hair Care
- Cosmetics & Colour Cosmetics
- Fragrances
- Bath & Body Care
- Oral Care
- Men’s Grooming
- Feminine Care
- Baby Care & Personal Care
- Sun Care & Self-Tanning
2. Digital Shelf
- Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) Shipping Packaging
- E-Commerce Retail Packaging
- Subscription Boxes
- Premium Unboxing Experiences
- Product Launch & Welcome Kits
- Protective Transit Packaging
- Sustainable E-Commerce Packaging
- Connected & Interactive Packaging Experiences
- Customized & Personalized Shipping Packaging
- Return-Ready & Reusable Packaging
3. Experiential Launch
- Influencer & Creator Kits
- Media & Press Kits
- B2B Sales & Retailer Presentation Kits
- New Product Launch Packages
- Brand Launch & Rebrand Kits
- Limited Edition & Collaboration Launches
- Event, Trade Show & VIP Experience Packages
- Premium Welcome & Onboarding Kits
- Investor & Corporate Announcement Packages
- Subscription & Founder’s Edition Launch Boxes
4. Fresh
- Fresh Fruits
- Fresh Vegetables
- Fresh Herbs
- Fresh Salads & Salad Kits
- Fresh Cut & Prepared Produce
- Fresh Meat & Poultry
- Fresh Seafood
- Deli Meats & Prepared Foods
- Fresh Bakery Products
- Fresh Dairy & Refrigerated Foods
5. Health & Wellness
- Vitamins & Minerals
- Dietary Supplements
- Protein Powders & Nutrition Products
- Sports Nutrition
- Functional Foods
- Functional Beverages
- Natural & Organic Health Products
- Over-the-Counter (OTC) Medicines
- Medical Devices & Health Aids
- Healthy Lifestyle & Wellness Products
6. Wine & Spirits
- Beer
- Cider
- Wine
- Sparkling Wine & Champagne
- Spirits
- Ready-to-Drink (RTD) Cocktails
- Hard Seltzers
- Non-Alcoholic Beer, Wine & Spirits
- Cocktail Mixers
LIMITED EDITION
3 subcategories
1. Promotional & Collectible
- Limited-production runs
- Numbered editions (e.g., “Only 500 Produced”)
- Collector series and collectible packaging
- Sweepstakes and contest packaging
- Lottery and instant-win promotions
- QR code and digital engagement campaigns
- Cause marketing and fundraising editions
- Brand collaboration and co-branded releases
- Product launch and commemorative editions
- Influencer and creator collaborations
- Loyalty and rewards program packaging
- Regional or market-specific limited editions
2. Seasonal & Occasional
- Christmas and holiday packaging
- Valentine’s Day promotions
- Easter-themed packaging
- Halloween editions
- Mother’s Day and Father’s Day programs
- Back-to-school campaigns
- Summer, winter, spring, or fall seasonal packaging
- National and cultural holiday programs
- Anniversary and commemorative editions
- Event-specific packaging tied to annual celebrations
3. Sports & Entertainment
- Professional sports team packaging
- Olympic, World Cup, or championship event packaging
- Athlete endorsements and signature editions
- Movie and television tie-ins
- Streaming series promotions
- Video game launch packaging
- Music artist collaborations
- Concert and festival editions
- Esports and gaming tournament packaging
- Fan engagement and loyalty program packaging
PAC IOU — INCLUSIVE & UNIVERSAL DESIGN
2 subcategories
1. Inclusive Design
- Inclusive Graphics & Photography
- Inclusive Language & Communication
- Multilingual Packaging
- Culturally Inclusive Packaging
- Gender-Inclusive Packaging
- Neurodiverse Consumer Design
- Packaging for Diverse Communities
- Connected & Digital Inclusion
- Inclusive Retail & E-Commerce Packaging
- Community & Social Impact Packaging
2. Universal Design (Accessible)
- Easy-Open Packaging
- Accessible Closures & Dispensing Systems
- Tactile & Multi-Sensory Packaging
- Accessible Labels & Instructions
- Universal Package Structures
- Senior-Friendly Packaging
- Connected Accessibility Solutions
- Healthcare & Pharmaceutical Packaging
- Inclusive Retail & E-Commerce Packaging
- Assistive Packaging Features
TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION
4 subcategories
1. Connected
- QR Code Enabled Packaging
- NFC & RFID Connected Packaging
- Digital Product Passports
- Product Authentication & Anti-Counterfeiting
- Consumer Engagement & Brand Experiences
- Smart Packaging & IoT Applications
- Variable Data & Personalized Packaging
- Augmented Reality (AR) Experiences
- Supply Chain Traceability & Transparency
2. Labels
- Pressure-Sensitive Labels
- Shrink Sleeve & Stretch Sleeve Labels
- Wrap-Around & Cut-and-Stack Labels
- In-Mould Labels (IML)
- Smart & Connected Labels
- Security & Authentication Labels
- Variable Data & Digital Print Labels
- Sustainable & Linerless Labels
- Multi-Layer, Booklet & Resealable Labels
- Functional & Specialty Labels
3. Shelf-Aisle Display
- Shelf-Ready Packaging (SRP)
- Retail-Ready Packaging (RRP)
- Countertop Display Units
- Corrugated Shelf Trays
- Club Store Display Packaging
- Pallet & Half-Pallet Displays
- Floor & Aisle Display Units
- Clip Strips & Hanging Displays
- Promotional & Seasonal Display Packaging
- Multi-Pack Retail Display Packaging
4. Technical
- Structural Package Design
- Printing & Print Quality
- Decorative & Specialty Printing
- Embellishments & Finishing Techniques
- Innovative Materials & Substrates
- Closures, Dispensing & Functional Features
- Material Reduction & Lightweighting
- Sustainable Technical Innovations
- Manufacturing & Converting Innovations
- Accessibility & Inclusive Design Features
SUSTAINABLE
3 subcategories
1. Recycling Excellence
- Mono-Material Packaging
- Recyclable Flexible Packaging
- Fibre-Based Packaging
- Easily Separable Components
- Label & Adhesive Innovations
- Recyclable Closures
- Recyclable Barrier Technologies
- Packaging Recovery Innovations
- Circular Packaging Systems
2. Renewable Materials
- Biobased Plastics
- Renewable Fibre Packaging
- Compostable Packaging
- Plant-Based Materials
- Agricultural Fibre Packaging
- Renewable Barrier Materials
- Renewable Flexible Packaging
- Renewable Rigid Packaging
- Certified Bio-Based Materials
- Alternative Feedstock Innovations
3. Source Reduction
- Lightweight Packaging
- Right-Sized Packaging
- Mono-Material Packaging
- Post-Consumer Recycled (PCR) Content
- Refillable Packaging
- Reusable Packaging Systems
- Concentrated Products
- Component Elimination
- Low-Carbon Packaging Solutions