The Indian packaging industry has a standalone magazine: ‘WhatPackaging’ launches this July

03 July 2026: WhatPackaging? is officially dropping the question mark, shedding its skin as a PrintWeek India supplement, and stepping out as a standalone powerhouse. Launching its debut independent issue on 1 July 2026, the newly minted What Packaging is expanding its footprint to cover the entire packaging universe.

What Packaging will be part of a raft of magazines from the Haymarket Media India brands which include PrintWeek, Campaign, Marketing Week, Festival of Marketing and the recently launched PRWeek.

Priced at INR 225, the standalone What Packaging magazine move signals a massive evolution. While remaining rooted in technical excellence, What Packaging is shifting the conversation from factoids and tech-specs to cultural zeitgeist and remarkable content. The new mantra is: make packaging simple.

Announcing the launch, Ashish Bhushan, director at Haymarket Media India said, “Packaging is the backbone of modern commerce. By launching What Packaging as a standalone title, we are giving this high-growth industry the dedicated platform it deserves, one that looks beyond machinery and materials to examine how packaging shapes economies, sustainability and consumer trust.”

The standalone title encourages readers to look beyond the physical pack and ask three questions: What is it? (materials), What does it do? (function), and What does it mean? (its wider implications for brands, consumers and sustainability). Key features will include design-forward community pages that are visually-driven sections dedicated to packaging design and emerging materials, while sections like ProductWatch and PackView will bring technically sound insights into packaging machinery and design from the experts.

Speaking about the editorial approach, Abhay Avadhani, the assistant editor, at What Packaging said, “We want our pages to be binge-able and engaging, packed with sharp commentary, insider critiques and the kind of industry conversations people genuinely look forward to. It’s time to move beyond dry reporting towards storytelling that reflects the pace of today’s packaging industry” In addition, the revamped website will ditch the bland feed for micro-animations, letting users fold, tear and peel their way through an immersive digital scroll.

The premier independent issue of What Packaging hits stands across India on 1 July, 2026, for INR 225.

About What Packaging: Re-launched in 2026 as an independent title, What Packaging is India’s definitive voice on packaging design, technology, and the industry’s cultural impact, bridging the gap between manufacturing expertise and brand design innovation.

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