Digital printing for packaging has been slowly gaining steam the last few years and picking away at market share for analog systems such as flexography, rotogravure and offset lithography. But 2026 could be notable for the sector’s maturation, according to a newly released report from consulting firm Keypoint Intelligence.

Digital printing is “entering a more mature, disciplined phase of adoption,” the report says, and growth this year is expected to come from different avenues than in the past. The report notes that packaging converters are considering these solutions “less as standalone innovations and more as components within broader production and manufacturing environments.” 

While other industries are ahead with digital adoption, “it has been a little bit slower on the packaging side because of all of the aspects and the complexity with packaging. You’re kind of over that curve now,” said Marc Mascara, principal analyst for labels and packaging at Keypoint Intelligence. “All of a sudden, with the speed of AI and the way the brands are moving, and the way the economy is changing and moving ... [converters are] thinking, ‘OK, how do I do digital faster and better?’” 

The report presented several key themes predicting where digital printing for packaging is headed in 2026.

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