Taropak 2026 will take place on 23–25 September at the Poznań International Fair grounds. The event is intended for companies involved in packaging technology, warehouse logistics and industrial automation. The organisers indicate that growth in the packaging market is currently driven by environmental regulations, the expansion of e-commerce and the need to automate production processes. This edition is intended to bring together representatives of many industries, from the food, cosmetics and pharmaceutical sectors to furniture manufacturing, automotive and logistics. An important element of the event will be the parallel organisation of Taropak and Polagra. A joint ticket is intended to give visitors access to both events and make it easier to explore the full value chain, from food production and raw materials, through packaging and labelling technologies, to finished products. According to the organisers, this combination reflects a market structure in which a significant share of packaging production goes to the food industry.
The scope of the Taropak 2026 exhibition is to include raw materials and semi-finished products, including polymers, paperboards, flexible films and laminates. Presentations of shipping packaging for e-commerce, containers for medical applications and household chemicals, as well as biodegradable protective materials, have also been announced. A key part of the fair is to be machinery in operation. Working processing lines, filling machines, wrapping machines, industrial robots, blister packaging equipment, labelling machines and marking systems are to be presented on site. The exhibition is also to include solutions for warehouse operations, such as internal transport equipment, racking and software for managing logistics information and barcodes.
Shared Taropak and Polagra space
The parallel organisation of both events is intended to create a shared space for companies operating in food, packaging and technologies supporting processing and distribution. The organisers point out that this format is meant to encourage meetings between food producers, suppliers of packaging materials, manufacturers of packaging machinery and representatives of retail and the HoReCa sector. Among the companies whose presence at the Taropak and Polagra exhibition block has already been confirmed are Lidl, Żabka, PHU Best, Filmat, InfoGraf, Coffee Service, Schur, Orwak, Sigma, MHLift, Boo, EcoSave Group and Sefko.
According to the data provided by the organisers, the previous edition attracted more than 9,000 professional visitors. Under the Hosted Buyers programme and a dedicated invitation system, buyers and managers from 41 countries are expected to attend the fair. The aim of this part of the programme is to support export development and facilitate business contacts without the need to organise foreign trips.
Debates on the deposit return system and carbon footprint
The programme is to include not only the exhibition itself but also a conference programme and industry debates. Meetings with market experts are planned on the shared main stage in Aleja Lipowa. One of the main topics is to be the first year of operation of the deposit return system in Poland. The discussion is to address operating costs, logistics challenges for small and large stores, and the level of consumer engagement. Participants are also expected to identify areas requiring improvement.
The second important issue is to be the implementation of climate targets and sustainable development across the entire supply chain. The organisers announce discussions on methods of reducing the carbon footprint and limiting plastic use while maintaining business profitability. This theme reflects the current challenges facing the packaging industry due to regulations and market expectations.
Africa Food & Trade Forum as a new initiative
An accompanying element of the fair is to be the Africa Food & Trade Forum, prepared in response to growing interest in new export destinations. The organisers identify Africa as a region of increasing importance for food producers due to demographic changes, urbanisation, growing purchasing power and investments in trade and logistics. The forum is to bring together importers, administration representatives and business partners from African countries, creating a space for B2B meetings and presentations of the potential of the Polish agri-food sector.
Combined with Taropak, this initiative is intended to enable food producers planning exports to Africa to select suitable packaging lines, packaging materials and labelling technologies. In practice, this is meant to support product preparation for international transport and requirements related to supply safety and profitability.
