As 2025 draws to a close, we look back on a year in which a quiet mood of uncertainty has dominated business conversations around Europe. Many of us have spent this year recalibrating rather than expanding, testing assumptions rather than celebrating certainties. In our quarterly FINAT RADAR reports, that tone surfaced again and again: fragile growth after a turbulent cycle, nervous consumer confidence, geopolitical tension, a shifting global trade environment, and a growing sense that ‘uncertainty’ is no longer a phase but a baseline condition.

Remarkable increase accompanied by outstanding technology on display, exhibitors’ success and event sustainability with over 19,500sqm of carpet saved from landfill.

As the label industry gathers momentum after a turbulent economic cycle, business leaders across the European label value chain convened at the FINAT European Label Forum 2025 last May to chart a course for the future. In a rapidly evolving landscape shaped by global pressures, shifting consumer attitudes, and tightening sustainability regulations, the Forum has become an indispensable platform for insight, collaboration, and strategic direction.

A jam-packed edition of Packaging Europe’s Sustainable Packaging Summit, the Davos of Packaging, took place at the Jaarbeurs, Utrecht, from 10th – 12th November 2025 – attended by a record number of 854 delegates, 142 speakers, and 89 exhibitors.

The FINAT Technical Handbook has been the globally recognised standard on testing procedures for self-adhesive labels for more than 35 years. The use of standardised test methods is a fundamental building block of quality assurance in the label industry. From development to specification to production monitoring, the FINAT test methods described in the book are an important benchmark in the advancing standardisation of the industry.

Labelexpo Asia 2025, taking place from 2 - 5 December at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre, is Asia-Pacific's premier label and package printing industry event.

The L9 World Label Association announces the Class and Honourable Mention award winners for the 2025 World Label Competition.

As the autumn of 2025 unfolds, the atmosphere across Europe feels both reflective and restless. The industry is catching its breath after an intense year — one defined by volatility, resilience, and transition. Budget season is upon us once again, and many of our members are navigating the delicate balance between caution and ambition. Hopefully this edition of the FINAT RADAR provides some guidance.

In the opening keynote of European Label Forum 2025, Ron Keller delivered a compelling, wide‑angle view of the shifting geopolitical and socio‑economic landscape, and what is means for our industry.

Andy Thomas-Emans, Strategic Director at the Informa Labels & Packaging Group, explains the thinking behind changing the name of the iconic label show to LOUPE.