The packaging printing industry is at an inflection point. Digital adoption is accelerating, sustainability is non-negotiable, and compliance is becoming both stricter and more practical. In this context, brands like avery labels sit at the center of a larger shift: cleaner chemistries, smarter data on-pack, and workflows that actually match how teams work today.

Based on insights from Avery Labels' work with 50+ packaging brands across Food & Beverage, Healthcare, and E-commerce, I see a consistent pattern: teams want verified low-impact materials and inks, but they won’t trade away reliability or shelf presence. That friction isn’t a sign of failure—it’s where the best innovations are emerging.

This outlook focuses on the next 12–24 months: which technologies are ready, how regulations are reshaping practice, and why “digital-at-scale” is moving from pilot to production. Here's where it gets interesting—what looks like small tweaks (liner recovery, LED-UV retrofits, GS1-ready data) is adding up to meaningful systemic change.

Industry Leader Perspectives

“We stopped chasing a single silver bullet,” a sustainability director at a global beverage brand told me. “We pair water-based ink for paper-based labelstock and UV-LED for films, then measure CO₂/pack.” That kind of portfolio thinking is becoming common. In controlled pilots, moving from mercury UV to LED-UV cut energy intensity by roughly 15–25% (kWh/pack). Water-based ink delivered a 10–20% CO₂/pack reduction on paper labels in their model, with the caveat that film applications sometimes needed a protective varnish to manage scuffing. Trade-offs remain, but they’re quantified now.

A healthcare converter I trust flagged serialization as the sleeper trend. Between DSCSA and EU FMD, they estimate 20–35% of SKUs now require variable data (GS1 barcodes, DataMatrix, or serialized QR). That pressure shapes tooling choices more than aesthetics. They also reminded me that color fidelity extends to specialty hues: when brands specify blue labels for stability or category signaling (think hydration and wellness lines), production must hold ΔE targets with the same discipline as brand primaries, especially across mixed fleets (Digital Printing and Flexographic Printing).

Compliance officers keep circling back to a practical question they hear from line teams: “which of the following statements is true regarding sdss and labels?” The accurate principle: shipped container labels must reflect the same core hazard information as the SDS (product identifier, signal word, hazard and precautionary statements, pictograms, supplier identification) under the Hazard Communication/GHS framework. When significant new hazard info emerges, SDS updates are typically due within about three months; labels are updated as soon as practicable, often within six months—always check local regulation and customer requirements. Whether a small seller runs desktop sheets from avery labels or uses munbyn labels on a thermal printer, the rule doesn’t change: the label and the SDS must align.

Sustainable Technologies

The clean-energy pivot in presses is real. UV-LED retrofits reduce warm-up and standby loads, and in many plants that translates to a 15–25% reduction in kWh/pack versus mercury UV systems, based on metered trials. Digital Printing also trims makeready waste; several lines I surveyed saw 5–10% lower waste rate once inline inspection and tighter color recipes (ISO 12647 or G7 alignment) were instituted. None of this is automatic—ink–substrate pairing matters, and low-migration UV Ink on food-contact labels still requires disciplined validation against EU 1935/2004 and GMP (EU 2023/2006) or FDA 21 CFR 175/176 for paper.

Materials are evolving alongside ink systems. Recycled-fiber facestocks are climbing into the 30–60% range in mature markets, with FSC or PEFC certification as table stakes for large retailers. On the liner side, interest in glassine recovery programs is accelerating; while collection rates vary, I’m seeing pilots in the EU reporting meaningful diversion from landfill and a path to scaled loops. One caveat: adhesive selection affects recyclability, so involving suppliers early beats trying to retrofit later. For categories that lean on color-coding—like blue labels in water and wellness—teams are testing low-migration pigments that keep brand tones steady while meeting compliance screens.

Workflow friction hasn’t vanished; it just moved upstream. I still get emails asking, “do avery labels go face up in printer?” The honest answer: it depends on the feed path. Rear-feed inkjet often prints the side facing you; many laser trays reverse the sheet. Mark a corner, run a test page, and document the shop standard. Templates help as well: for office and micro-business addressing, the widely used avery address labels 18660 template is a reminder that template-driven accuracy reduces waste even in small batches. That’s also why some sellers toggle between avery labels for sheets and munbyn labels for thermal shipping—they’re optimizing for task fit, not brand loyalty.

Market Outlook and Forecasts

Looking 12–24 months out, the digital slice of label production is pacing at roughly 8–12% CAGR globally, with Short-Run and Variable Data needs as the flywheel. For converters with balanced job books, I still see plausible payback periods in the 18–36 month range on digital presses—contingent on actual mix (Short-Run, Seasonal, and On-Demand work) and how quickly teams master color and changeovers. Hybrid Printing remains attractive for shops that want flexo speed and digital personalization on a single line, but the learning curve is real.

Supply dynamics remain choppy. Labelstock input costs have shown 5–15% year-over-year swings as pulp, resin, and adhesive feedstocks adjust to macro shocks. That volatility nudges brands toward specs with more flexibility (multiple approved substrates and adhesives) and toward qualified alternates. I’m also seeing quiet consolidation among regional suppliers as they chase scale in procurement and compliance support—especially for pharma and food sectors where Low-Migration Ink and traceability are non-negotiable.

Two practical trends will color the shelf—literally. Category-coded palettes like blue labels in hydration and wellness keep winning because they drive quick recognition online and in-store, but color governance must be tightened across print methods to maintain ΔE targets. And the close: avery labels will keep showing up in conversations not just as a product line, but as shorthand for consistent, template-ready workflows that teams—large and small—can actually run day after day.