The European pallet arose from the need to standardise its use in order to obtain better use of space. A pallet is around 25 kilograms and can support loads of up to 1,500 (and statically, without moving the pallet, it can reach up to 4,000 kilograms).

Nowadays it is unthinkable to transport without the use of pallets because of its numerous advantages (less preparation time, lower loading and unloading costs, increased productivity…). All companies make use of them, this is also the case of RFL, as specialists in refrigerated and temperature controlled transport.

The pallet is considered to be an integral part of the goods for all purposes and is therefore charged for its transport and must be compensated in the event of its loss. In the situation that only the goods, and not the pallet, are damaged, this is understood to be a partial loss and the affected party is compensated. Pallet exchange is very common in the industry and the carrier cannot be forced to return empty pallets to their origin free of charge.

Health crisis

However, since the COVID-19 crisis broke out, many organisations (for example ATFRIE, CETM) have already questioned the appropriateness of European pallet exchange in both national and international temperature-controlled transport. In a post-pandemic scenario, they advocate greater health control and that responsibility for pallets should not fall on millions of operators as it does today (manufacturers, traders, shippers, transporters…) but on pallet leasing companies, which could be required to carry out greater health control.

Loaders and drivers

A hypothetical pallet rental system would benefit shippers and drivers, as proposed by these organisations. The current dynamic, they argue, favours continuous pallet theft, increases the administrative costs associated with its control and, sometimes, there are safety problems for drivers.

Shippers could benefit from improved efficiency in the transport of palletised goods, and in the logistics chain as a whole, while drivers would not have to dedicate time from their daily activity to pallet handling, as is currently the case.