Four pallet types cover almost every consignment between the United Kingdom and France: the Euro pallet at 1,200 × 800 mm, the UK standard pallet at 1,200 × 1,000 mm, the square pallet and the half pallet. At the online price, each pallet can weigh up to 800 kg and stand 200 cm high. Since Brexit, wooden pallets must carry the ISPM 15 mark.
Quick reference: pallet types and dimensions
A trailer has a limited floor and a limited payload, and the haulier charges for whichever of the two your load consumes most. A bulky, light pallet costs the space it blocks; a compact, dense pallet costs its weight. Everything in this guide follows from that rule, starting with the four pallet types that fit a trailer’s width.
| Pallet type | Footprint | Floor area | Typical use | Across a trailer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Half pallet | 800 × 600 mm | 0.48 m² | Small lots, retail and shop deliveries | Combined with other types |
| Euro pallet (EUR / EPAL) | 1,200 × 800 mm | 0.96 m² | Industrial and distribution standard across Europe | 3 side by side, or 2 lengthways |
| UK standard pallet | 1,200 × 1,000 mm | 1.20 m² | Common in the UK and Ireland: food, drink, retail, chemicals | 2 side by side |
| Square pallet | 1,200 × 1,200 mm | 1.44 m² | Drums, IBCs, big bags, heavy bases | 2 side by side |
The limits of the online price
The online price covers 1 to 3 pallets per shipment, each up to 800 kg and 200 cm high, pallet included, on up to 400 × 240 cm of floor space, within 2,500 kg of taxable weight. The height is compulsory in the calculator. Anything beyond these limits is priced on quotation, with a reply in under 2 working hours.
| Limit | Online price | Beyond it |
|---|---|---|
| Pallets per shipment | 1 to 3 | Quote request: groupage, part or full load |
| Weight per pallet | Up to 800 kg | Quote request, with suitable handling equipment |
| Height | Up to 200 cm, pallet included | Quote request, often a dedicated vehicle |
| Floor space per unit | Up to 400 × 240 cm | Part load or full load |
| Taxable weight per shipment | Up to 2,500 kg | Quote request |
The Euro pallet, 1,200 × 800 mm: the European standard
The Euro pallet, marked EUR or EPAL when made to the approved specification, is the reference unit of European road freight. Three fit across a trailer and it can be lifted from all four sides. French platforms, retailers and factories are built around it, so a consignment from the United Kingdom on Euro pallets slots straight into the network.
The UK standard pallet, 1,200 × 1,000 mm
What a British or Irish warehouse calls a standard pallet is usually the 1,200 × 1,000 mm pallet, wider than the Euro. Two fit across a trailer. It suits large cartons, sacks and bulk bags and is everywhere in UK food, drink and retail supply chains. It occupies about a quarter more floor than a Euro pallet.
Half pallets and square pallets: when they make sense
The half pallet suits small lots and deliveries to shops and pharmacies where a full pallet would not fit through the door. The square pallet carries drums, IBCs and big bags that need a wide base. Both combine with Euro and standard pallets, but a mix of odd footprints leaves gaps, which a dedicated vehicle bills as floor space.
Height: why 200 cm is the ceiling at the online price
Height is measured from the floor to the highest point of the goods, pallet included. It decides whether the pallet can be stacked, whether it fits through platform doors and delivery vehicles, and so which service applies. At the online price, a pallet stands no more than 200 cm high; above that, request a quote. Round up, never down.
Weight per pallet and per shipment
Declare the gross weight: goods, packaging and the pallet itself, which adds around 25 kg for a wooden Euro pallet and a little more for a standard one. At the online price, each pallet weighs up to 800 kg and the shipment up to 2,500 kg of taxable weight; heavier pallets travel on quotation, with suitable handling equipment.
Floor space and loading metres: how hauliers count your load
Hauliers count space in loading metres: the floor length your load blocks across the full trailer width, about 2.45 m. A Euro pallet takes roughly 0.4 loading metres and a standard pallet about 0.5; a full artic offers a little over 13 loading metres. DHL Freight and dedicated vehicles charge on that space; the GEODIS online price uses volume.
Stackability: what it changes on a quotation
A pallet is stackable when another can sit on top without damage: rigid goods, a flat top, packaging that takes the load. On a quotation for a part or full load, stackable pallets can be double-stacked and the price reflects it, while a non-stackable pallet blocks the full trailer height. Declare stackability honestly in every quote request.
Overhang and oversized items: what counts as out of gauge
Anything that sticks out beyond the pallet edge is overhang, and overhang is what forklift tines hit at the platform. At the online price, a unit can be up to 400 × 240 cm on the floor, 200 cm high and 800 kg. Beyond that, it is out of gauge and travels on quotation.
How to pack a pallet for road freight: wrap, strap, corner boards, labels
Stretch film must tie the goods to the pallet, not just cover them: several turns at the base crossing the pallet blocks, then up the full height with overlap. Heavy or unstable loads need strapping. Corner boards protect the edges and make the pallet stackable. Label two sides with the shipper, the consignee, the pallet count and the order reference.
Wooden pallets between the UK and the EU: the ISPM 15 rule
Since Brexit, wooden pallets and other wood packaging moving between Great Britain and the EU must meet the ISPM 15 standard: heat-treated and stamped with the official mark. An unmarked wooden pallet can be refused or held at the border. Plastic pallets and pallets made of processed wood, such as plywood, are not covered by the rule.
Pallet quality: EPAL, one-way, plastic and pallet exchange
An EPAL pallet is built and stamped to the approved specification and is exchangeable within the European pallet pool; a one-way pallet of the same footprint is not and will not be returned. Plastic pallets are lighter, hygienic and common in food and pharma. Pallet exchange only happens if it is chosen as an option when you book.
Taxable weight explained with an example
The haulier converts the space a pallet takes into a theoretical weight and compares it with the real weight; the higher of the two is the taxable weight. A Euro pallet of foam trays weighing 120 kg is charged on the space it takes, not on its 120 kg. The calculator shows the taxable weight with each offer.
The same pallet loaded with machine parts at 700 kg is charged on its real weight, because that exceeds the theoretical figure. Dense loads are priced by the kilo, light loads by the space they take. Enter the real dimensions, height and weight, and the price is right first time.
Not sure your load fits? Check it in 30 seconds
Enter your pallets in the calculator: if they fit the online limits, the ex-VAT price appears in 30 seconds. If they do not, or your load is not on pallets, the quote request takes the overall length, width, height and weight and how the goods can be lifted, and a member of our team replies in under 2 working hours.
Check my pallets and get a price
FAQ
- What is the standard pallet size in the UK?
- In British and Irish warehouses, the standard pallet is usually 1,200 × 1,000 mm, and two fit across a trailer. The Euro pallet, 1,200 × 800 mm, is the reference unit in France and most of mainland Europe, three across a trailer. Both are accepted at the online price; the standard pallet takes about a quarter more floor space.
- How heavy can a pallet be at the online price?
- Up to 800 kg per pallet, gross weight including packaging and the pallet itself, with up to 2,500 kg of taxable weight per shipment of 1 to 3 pallets. Heavier pallets are priced on quotation, with suitable handling equipment at both ends. Always declare the real gross weight: a wooden Euro pallet alone adds around 25 kg.
- How high can a pallet be?
- At the online price, up to 200 cm, measured from the floor to the highest point of the goods, pallet included; the height is compulsory in the calculator. Taller pallets are priced on quotation, often on a dedicated vehicle. Measure after wrapping and round up: an underestimated height can lead to a refusal at collection or a price correction.
- Do wooden pallets need ISPM 15 marking between the UK and France?
- Yes. Since Brexit, wood packaging moving between Great Britain and the EU, wooden pallets included, must be heat-treated to the ISPM 15 standard and carry the official stamp. An unmarked wooden pallet can be refused or held at the border. Plastic pallets and pallets made of processed wood, such as plywood, are not covered.
- How many Euro pallets fit in an articulated trailer?
- A standard 13.6 m curtainsider takes 33 Euro pallets or 26 standard 1,200 × 1,000 mm pallets on the floor in a single layer, with a payload of roughly 24 tonnes. Stackable pallets can increase that count, within the payload and the internal height. A half trailer takes around 16 Euro pallets, and rigid vehicles anywhere from 8 to 18.