Which pallet
do you need?

Freight · 27 May 2026

The common UK pallet sizes

Most freight in the UK travels on one of a few familiar footprints. Knowing the deck size is only half the picture, though, because the loaded height and weight decide how it is handled and how much space it takes in the vehicle. As a rough rule, a loaded full pallet is often up to around 1.2 metres tall.

The sizes you will meet most often are:

• Standard (UK) pallet: 1200 x 1000mm. The workhorse for general freight, typically loaded to around a tonne.
• Euro pallet: 1200 x 800mm. A slightly narrower deck, common across European supply chains and lighter loads.
• Quarter pallet: roughly half the length of a standard pallet, useful for smaller consignments that still want the protection of a pallet base.

Which one to choose

Pick the footprint that matches your goods rather than forcing them onto the wrong size. If boxes overhang a Euro pallet, a standard pallet is the better fit and keeps everything inside the timber. For a modest consignment, a quarter pallet avoids paying for space you will never use while still keeping the load tidy and easy to move.

Height and weight matter as much as the base. A short, dense load and a tall, light one can sit on the same deck but behave very differently in transit, so it is worth measuring the finished pallet rather than guessing from the goods alone.

Know your numbers before booking

Three figures make a booking straightforward: the footprint, the loaded height and the weight. With those to hand, the right vehicle and tail-lift can be matched first time, and there is no awkward surprise when the driver arrives to a pallet that is taller or heavier than expected.

Pallet work is priced per job and on the route, with a fixed quote before the driver sets off. If you are weighing up which vehicle suits a run of pallets, the fleet and pricing overview shows what each size of vehicle can carry.

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