Top 10 Food and Drink Packaging Design Trends in 2025
Food and drink packaging is no longer just a wrapper. In 2025, it carries more weight than ever, keeping food safe, showing off your brand, and helping your product stand out in a crowded aisle or delivery box.
But design isn’t just about colour and shape. It’s about what works. What holds up? What gets noticed without shouting. So, what’s really changing this year? And what matters most if you’re packaging something to eat or drink?
Here are the 10 food packaging design trends that are quietly leading the way. And if you’re ready to design your own, browse our custom packaging styles and get in touch with us to start building the right box for your food or drink brand.
Must-Watch Food and Drink Packaging Trends in 2025
From texture and material upgrades to smarter box structures and clearer health messaging, 2025’s most relevant food and drink packaging trends are grounded in what buyers actually need: clarity, function, and thoughtful design.
1. Clear Communication on Food Packaging Boxes
People want simple facts. They want to know what’s inside, how it was made, and why it matters. This is why food packaging boxes are using fewer colours, clearer fonts, and more white space. The message is easier to read. And it sticks.
Even large-format food packaging boxes wholesale are shifting this way. Minimalism isn’t a design trend anymore; it’s a functional choice. Brands are cutting out jargon and replacing it with bold claims, short facts, and calm layouts.
2. Eco Materials for Luxury Food Packaging Boxes
Recycled doesn’t have to mean rough. Brown Kraft boxes are being paired with soft-touch coatings, subtle embossing, and modern layouts. The result is luxury food packaging boxes that don’t feel wasteful. Just responsible.
More brands are moving to uncoated kraft or black kraft for base packaging, then layering detail through spot UV or blind debossing. This shift is also growing in high-end cosmetic boxes, where eco and luxury blend together. Rigid boxes made from recycled board with matte finish are replacing plastic trays in many premium food kits. Soap boxes and chocolate trays are also seeing the switch.
3. Practical Shapes for Boxes for Food Packaging
It’s not just about how the packaging looks. It’s about how it travels. Tuck boxes, mailer boxes, and corrugated boxes are built with delivery in mind. They don’t tear under pressure. They close neatly. They open without tools. And when needed, they reseal.
We’ve seen a rise in gable boxes used for ready-to-go deli meals and takeout. These structures are easy to carry, stay upright, and hold their shape.
4. Smart Labels on Every Food Packaging Box
Not everything needs to be said. The best food packaging box in 2025 says less, not more. Ingredients, storage advice, and allergy warnings must all be provided. But they are written in plain language, placed neatly, and organised for speed.
We’re seeing a revival in smart back-of-box layouts. Information is tiered. Bold icons sit next to storage tips. QR codes sit at the base. It’s not minimalist for style; it’s structured for function.
Dispenser boxes and sleeve boxes are particularly good at helping brands separate key information from background copy.
5. Texture Over Gloss in Food Packaging Boxes Wholesale
The feel of packaging is now as important as how it looks. Instead of gloss varnishes, brands are using pearlescent or soft-touch finishes. Textured cardboard boxes add a layer of grip and tactility.
For snack bars or subscription food kits, the right texture helps buyers remember your brand. That’s why pillow boxes and seal-end boxes are often chosen for products where an uncoated feel or embossing is part of the sensory experience.
6. Thoughtful Unboxing for Drink Box Packaging
Many products now sell online before they reach the shelves. This has changed how we think about unboxing. Magnetic closure boxes and rigid boxes are built to create an experience. They open with ease. They feel solid.
Within the printing industry, ribbon pulls and layered inserts are quietly becoming expected in premium packaging, particularly in categories such as wine, supplements, and high-end beverages.
7. Smart Packaging in Drink Packaging Boxes
QR codes on packaging aren’t new. But in 2025, they’re more useful. Instead of just linking to a homepage, they lead to storage tips, re-order pages, or ingredient sources.
Drink packaging box designs are also starting to use colour-change inks for temperature awareness. NFC tags, once rare, now appear on cigarette boxes and premium beverages.
8. Seasonal Design for Box Drink Packaging
Brands are starting to plan packaging in cycles. The same base box can be used across the year, with a sleeve or inner wrap that changes by season. This saves cost but keeps the product feeling current.
Pillow boxes, tulip boxes, and gift boxes are ideal for seasonal refreshes. One base. Multiple short-run variations.
9. Honest Health Claims in Food Packaging Boxes
More people care about what they eat. But they don’t want lectures. Seal end boxes and sleeve boxes now carry facts clearly: low sugar, high protein, clean ingredients.
We’re also seeing this in wellness drink ranges using display boxes to highlight three-word facts that buyers can scan fast: “No additives. Cold-pressed. Vegan.”
10. Simple Branding for Food and Drink Packaging
One logo. One tone of voice. One key colour. Brands are finding that a focused identity works better than a loud one.
Display boxes and cigarette boxes are using this approach to stand out without being over-designed. Consistency over excess.
Final Thought On Packaging That Works Harder in 2025
Food and Drink Packaging in 2025 isn’t louder. It’s clearer. Materials are chosen for how they hold up. Designs are made for how people shop. And brands are realising that good packaging doesn’t just carry a product. It carries trust.
These aren’t style trends. They’re signals of maturity in the industry. Practical shifts. Structural updates. And quietly confident branding choices.
If you’re rethinking your packaging this year, it’s worth starting with what people actually need. A box similar to a pizza box that opens easily. A design that respects the shopper. A material that does its job.
Explore our full packaging solutions to get started.
