When packaging redefines luxury in beauty
Long relegated to a secondary role, packaging has now emerged as a major strategic lever in luxury beauty. At a time when desire, responsibility and innovation converge, Paris Packaging Week 2026 is shaping up to be a key event for decoding the industry’s new rules of the game.
According to a study by James Cropper, packaging has become a key component of the luxury experience: 65% of consumers now believe it extends the product’s premium value, compared with just 15% ten years ago, while 82% did not factor packaging into their purchasing decisions at the time. This shift confirms the central role packaging now plays in shaping perceptions of luxury beauty.
Research by the French Federation of Beauty Companies further confirms that packaging sustainability is no longer a mere marketing claim but a decisive purchasing criterion. In the past year, 59% of cosmetics buyers have purchased refills, demonstrating that refillability has become a concrete expectation rather than a marginal one. This behaviour reflects heightened consumer demands, forcing brands to align their packaging strategies with responsible values—or risk being seen as outdated or irresponsible in a market where eco-responsibility is rapidly becoming the norm.
