According to Konica Minolta’s Toshi Uemura, executive officer and head of industrial print, digital printing in labels will surge, continuing its significant momentum.
Mr Uemura states that, ‘It is the fastest growing of all label printing technologies’.
In a statement released explaining his forecast for the new year, Mr Uemura also says that with a focus on EU packaging mandates, global supply shifts, and rising consumer demand for sustainability, digital printing will be a mainstream driver in labels, packaging, and embellishment. At the same time, it will reshape how converters rethink possibilities.
He said, ‘Global digital label output is forecast to accelerate sharply in the next few years, driven by sustainability imperatives, technology innovation, and a buoyant consumer goods sector. These themes were outlined in this recent blog marking a decade of progress in labels.
‘Following on from predictions made a year ago – covering AI and automation, smart labels and digital, and a shift towards premiumisation in food/beverages – we believe there are four key additional trends in 2026 that will be influencing consumer, brand, and label converter thinking.’
Other trends identified by Mr Uemura, include regulation-driven design; growth in extended content labels and agile production lines.
