What is the difference between a Standard Pallet and a Euro Pallet?

Before you ship something using a pallet with Pallet2Ship, it’s helpful to know a bit more about the process itself and what the key components of your shipment are – clearly, one of the main ones is going to be the pallet itself!

There are six types of pallets recognised around the world by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). When shipping items to or from the UK and Europe, there are two different pallets that you will have the option to use. These are either Standard Pallets or Euro Pallets. However, there is also a pallet type that cannot be handled through our services, and it’s called an American pallet. Please make sure you don’t use this pallet type, and if you are new to the pallet shipping process, you can always get in touch with us to make sure you have chosen a suitable pallet base.

But what are the key differences between the Standard and Euro pallet and why would you want to choose one over the other? Find out below with our handy guide.

Size

The key difference between a Standard Pallet and a Euro Pallet is size. A Standard Pallet has larger dimensions when compared to a Euro Pallet, measuring 120cm by 100cm instead of 120cm by 80cm for a Euro. The Standard size pallet is most commonly used throughout the UK for transportation and delivery within the UK.

One of the most important things when it comes to shipping pallets is declaring the correct dimensions. If the goods/boxes are smaller than the pallet base, you must always include the pallet in your measurements, and not only the goods placed on it.

When measuring the length and width of your pallet, please make sure the accurate dimensions are provided, including the pallet base. When it comes to the height of your consignment, it is also important to include the pallet base as well. Furthermore, please start measuring the height of the consignment from the ground all the way up, to the top. Regarding the weight of your consignment, please make sure the pallet base is also included.

When it comes to shipping an oversized pallet, it is very important to provide the dimensions of your consignment based on the actual measurements of your over-hanging goods, and not based only on the pallet base. Providing the accurate dimensions is detrimental when requesting a quote, and based on the measurements received from our customers, the carrier will allocate the space in the vehicles.

Packing

The key consideration for people or SMEs when it comes to deciding on your different pallet size options boil down to how you wish to pack your pallet. If you are a manufacturer, this depends on what products you make and how you package them.

If your products and how they are packed fit better and more efficiently onto a Euro pallet, then it would be beneficial to utilise that base. This is because due to the dimensions of a Euro pallet, the footprint will be smaller.

There are three main options in terms of how you fill your pallet, which are quarter pallets, half pallets, and full pallets. These options indicate how heavy or tall your goods are including the pallet base, with limits 300kg or 80cm, 600kg or 110cm and 1200kg or 220cm respectively. You can also look to utilise oversized pallet options. Pallets that exceed standard size will incur an additional fee due to the extra space requirement in transportation.

When shipping internationally, it is very important to know if the country you are sending your pallets to have any special requirements regarding the pallets used. For example, if you are sending goods to the USA, Canada, Australia or New Zealand, the pallet base must be fumigated/ heat treated.

Benefits

Both types of pallets are very easy to transport, both in warehouses and across freight modes and they are compatible with all standard handling equipment. This has benefits in terms of both productivity of transportation and costs.

Both pallets are made from either wood or plastic so they are strong and durable with a lightweight structure, but they can hold a variety of weights. They are also environmentally friendly because these pallets can be reused once a shipment has been made.

You can find more information about how to correctly package your pallet via our Packaging Advice section and free quotes are available via the homepage of our website.