Tesco has moved 2D barcodes beyond limited testing by introducing GS1-powered QR codes across an entire own-brand product range. The rollout shows how production-ready codes can combine checkout identification with expiration dates, batch data, traceability and digital content, creating new demands for reliable variable data printing.

USPS remains in serious financial trouble, but demand for advertising mail is not collapsing. Marketing Mail volume increased 4.3% during the third quarter of fiscal 2026, adding 574 million pieces and showing why targeted direct mail and variable data printing remain commercially relevant.

Coca-Cola, PepsiCo and Keurig Dr Pepper are using packaging QR codes to give consumers access to detailed ingredient information and international safety assessments. With broad portfolio coverage targeted by the end of 2027, the initiative signals growing demand for connected packaging and reliable variable data printing.

Walmart’s plan to track roughly 90 million pallets annually with battery-free Ambient IoT sensors shows how smart labels are evolving beyond traditional scan events. The rollout connects serialized identification with location, movement and temperature data, creating new implications for supply-chain visibility, label production and variable data printing.

Texas’ new food warning label requirements could create a major packaging challenge for manufacturers selling products in the state. Beginning January 1, 2027, certain newly developed or updated food labels may need warning language when products contain listed additives. Ongoing litigation has created uncertainty, but manufacturers still need to prepare for possible packaging redesigns, Texas-specific versions, inventory write-offs, and production delays. Late-stage variable printing can help companies apply market-specific warnings after a product’s formula and destination are known.

Beginning February 18, 2027, certain electric vehicle, light-transport, and industrial batteries placed on the EU market must have an electronic battery passport connected to the physical battery through a QR code and unique identifier. For manufacturers, importers, and industrial label converters, compliance will require more than creating a digital record. Companies must establish reliable processes for serialization, durable marking, scan verification, production-data integration, and product-level traceability throughout the battery’s lifecycle.

As demand grows for serialized codes, regional packaging, traceability data, personalized mail, and standards-based 2D barcodes, more companies are reconsidering their print equipment. Should they add variable inkjet to an existing press or invest in a dedicated digital platform? The right answer depends on far more than the initial purchase price. Existing equipment value, production speed, print width, substrates, ink chemistry, inspection requirements, integration, training, and future job demands all determine which investment makes the most operational and financial sense.

California’s SB 343 recyclability labeling deadline takes effect October 4, 2026, changing how manufacturers can use chasing arrows, recycling claims, and other disposal instructions on newly produced packaging. Companies selling across multiple markets may face costly packaging changes, inventory write-offs, and added SKU complexity. Moving regional or compliance-specific information to a later stage of production can help manufacturers respond faster while reducing their dependence on large inventories of preprinted packaging.

Anti-counterfeit packaging is no longer just about tamper evidence or security features. As serialization, 2D codes, RFID, and marketplace verification programs expand, packaging lines need to produce unique, readable, and verifiable marks that can support real product authentication in the supply chain.

The July 2026 USPS changes are more than a postage update. Higher rates, revised labeling lists, dimensional pricing changes, and the enhanced Addresses API all point to the same reality: mailing operations need cleaner data, better barcode quality, and tighter coordination between software, print, and verification.

GS1 Sunrise 2027 is changing what packaging needs to do. As brands move from traditional UPC barcodes toward 2D codes with richer product data, packaging lines will need reliable variable printing, barcode quality control, and clean data workflows to keep products scan-ready and traceable.

The EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation will make packaging compliance a data and print execution issue. As brands and converters face more versioning, QR codes, labeling updates, and market-specific requirements, inline variable inkjet printing can help reduce waste, improve flexibility, and support accurate compliance-driven production.

Consumer brands aren't slowing down on SKU counts — they're accelerating. Seasonal promotions, regional packaging, limited-edition runs, and e-commerce exclusives mean converters who once managed a handful of long runs now juggle hundreds of jobs with unique artwork, barcodes, and specs. The math is brutal: more changeovers, more setup time, more downtime between jobs, and less inventory buffer to hide behind. Traditional planning built around large batches simply can't keep pace. The converters staying profitable in this environment aren't just buying new equipment — they're rethinking the entire production model. Hybrid inkjet retrofits, automated prepress, quick-change tooling, and modular digital systems are turning what used to be a production break into a smooth part of the workflow. Here's what that looks like in practice.

Walk any aisle at PRINTING United, Graph Expo, or NPF and you'll see the same thing repeated booth after booth: equipment up front, brochures on the table, a looping demo video, a sales rep hoping someone stops. The problem isn't your product — it's that every competitor is doing the exact same thing. In a crowded trade show hall, the brain filters out repetition and notices novelty. You have about three seconds to interrupt someone's walk before they're gone. At NPF 2025, we printed fake hundred-dollar bills with unique QR codes and fed them into a glass box with a fan blowing them around like a cash tornado. People stopped. They photographed it. They reached in and grabbed a bill. And that's when we got to talk about what we actually sell. Here's what we learned — and how you can apply the same psychology to your next show.

Skilled labor shortages in the printing and packaging industry are no longer a temporary problem — they're structural. With nearly 75% of U.S. print companies struggling to hire qualified press operators and 95% of CPG manufacturers reporting similar challenges, facilities can't afford to wait for the market to correct itself. The most effective response isn't ripping out equipment or automating everything at once. It's a phased approach: standardize workflows first, then automate the highest-pain bottlenecks, then modernize incrementally through modular retrofits and maintenance-friendly systems. Here's what that looks like in practice — and why it's working.

A growing policy debate is shaping the future of the U.S. Postal Service. In April 2026, the Keep US Posted coalition called on Congress to tie any financial relief for USPS to enforceable reforms, citing concerns over cost control, pricing discipline, and long-term sustainability. With warnings that the agency could run out of cash within a year and legislation such as H.R. 3004 proposing significant changes, this article explores what these developments mean for mailers, businesses, and the broader postal ecosystem.

Hybrid press lines that integrate production inkjet with inline flexo stations are rapidly gaining traction across North America. As SKU proliferation and shorter run lengths challenge traditional workflows, hybrid printing offers a single-pass solution that balances digital flexibility with flexo economics. This article explores the technology, ROI, operational considerations, and why retrofitting variable inkjet—such as DPi’s M7 platform—provides a cost-effective path to modernization.

Announced containerboard price increases and volatile benchmark indices in early 2026 are squeezing packaging converters. This article explores the operational and financial risks caused by pricing lag and outlines practical strategies—such as tightening quote validity, formalizing escalation clauses, and improving communication—to help businesses protect margins and maintain customer trust.

Ecommerce brands are abandoning labels for direct-to-packaging printing on corrugated boxes. Faster turnaround, lower costs, sustainable materials, and personalized unboxing drive adoption in DTC beauty and health sectors.

Hybrid packaging production—flexo for static graphics, digital for variable data—solves SKU proliferation without full press replacement. Retrofit modules protect existing assets while adding agility.