Global Connected Packaging Survey 2026 confirms NFC and QR adoption in packaging reaches record highs

A new industry report confirms what OKTICS has been anticipating for years: connected packaging is no longer a bet on the future but a strategic priority of the present. The Global Connected Packaging Survey 2026, prepared by Appetite Creative in collaboration with Koenig & Bauer Auraveo, puts adoption at an all-time high.

Report data

92.3% of industry professionals surveyed say that connected packaging will become increasingly important over the next 12 months – up from 88.8% last year. And the actual adoption figure is even more significant: 81.2% of companies are already using connected packaging technology today, up from 72.6% in 2025.

The most valued uses are consumer proprietary data collection (60.9%), regulatory compliance – including Digital Product Passports – (60.7%), sustainability (60.4%) and marketing and customer loyalty (60.2%).

NFC as preferred technology

The report confirms the trend we observe at OKTICS in our projects: the evolution from single technology implementations – usually QR – to combinations of multiple technologies, with NFC as the authentication and premium experience layer on top of the QR code.

This combination – QR for accessibility, NFC for authentication and value experience – is exactly the approach we implemented with the OKO platform for fashion, cosmetics, food and industrial brands.

What it means for Spanish brands

Spain still lags behind the European average in connected packaging adoption, which represents a real competitive window for brands to act now. Companies that implement this technology in 2026 will not only be ahead of their direct competitors – they will be building the data and compliance infrastructure that the European DPP will be mandating in the coming years.

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