Half and quarter pallets are smaller load carriers built on the modular grid of the 1200 × 800 mm Euro pallet: a half pallet measures 800 × 600 mm and a quarter pallet 600 × 400 mm. They are used mainly to move goods straight onto the retail sales floor as display pallets, so that stores can place a ready-made promotional unit in an aisle without unpacking it.
The modular footprint system
The European pallet footprint is built on the module 600 × 400 mm, the same base used by many plastic crates and corrugated trays. Two quarter pallets equal one half pallet, and two half pallets equal one Euro pallet, so mixed loads can be built up without wasted floor space in a truck or on a larger carrier pallet.
| Format | Dimensions | Imperial (approx.) | Share of Euro pallet |
|---|---|---|---|
| Euro pallet (EPAL 1) | 1200 × 800 mm | 47.2 × 31.5 in | 1/1 |
| Half pallet | 800 × 600 mm | 31.5 × 23.6 in | 1/2 |
| Quarter pallet | 600 × 400 mm | 23.6 × 15.7 in | 1/4 |
| Eighth unit (crates, trays) | 400 × 300 mm | 15.7 × 11.8 in | 1/8 |
Because the formats nest into one another, a single Euro pallet can be loaded with two half pallets or four quarter pallets, and the whole unit handled as one load through the distribution centre. This is common in fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), where a manufacturer ships mixed promotional units that are split up only in the store. For background on the full-size format, see the Euro pallet.
EPAL half pallets: EPAL 6 and EPAL 7
The European Pallet Association (EPAL) licenses two wooden half pallets, both with an 800 × 600 mm footprint but with different construction and purposes.
| Specification | EPAL 6 half pallet | EPAL 7 half pallet |
|---|---|---|
| Dimensions | 800 × 600 × 144 mm | 800 × 600 × 163 mm |
| Weight | approx. 9.5 kg | approx. 9.5 kg |
| Boards | 13 | 13 |
| Nails | 69 | 42 (plus 21 tubular rivets) |
| Blocks | 9 | 3 |
| Other parts | — | 6 steel angle brackets, 3 mm thick |
| Safe working load | 750 kg | 500 kg |
| Max. load on bottom pallet when stacked | 1,500 kg | 1,500 kg |
EPAL 6 is a scaled-down Euro pallet with the same 144 mm height and a nine-block layout. EPAL describes it as a display pallet that can be placed directly in the sales area. Its 144 mm height matches the full-size Euro pallet, which keeps mixed loads level.
EPAL 7 was presented by EPAL in early 2020 as an alternative to the Düsseldorf pallet. It uses three blocks along the centre plus steel spacers, which keeps it four-way accessible for forklifts. EPAL positions it for the food and drink industry, discount stores and retail, and for automated warehouses.
Both EPAL half pallets have been made from wood treated to ISPM 15 since 1 January 2010, which matters for any shipment leaving the EU; see ISPM 15.
The Düsseldorf pallet
The Düsseldorf pallet (German: Düsseldorfer Palette) is an 800 × 600 mm half pallet long used in the German beverage trade. Its design is distinctive: the top deck overhangs the base, so the pallet can only be handled with pallet trucks and forklifts from limited sides and does not nest into the block layout of a Euro pallet. Bottles and crates are often shipped on it to retailers and placed directly on the shop floor.
Because the Düsseldorf pallet is not part of the EPAL open exchange pool, retailers and drinks producers have looked for exchangeable alternatives, which is the gap EPAL 7 was designed to fill. When buying or exchanging half pallets in Germany, check which format a customer actually uses, since the two are not interchangeable in exchange.
Quarter pallets and dollies
Quarter pallets of 600 × 400 mm are almost always plastic. They are light enough to be handled by a person, fit the bottom shelf or end-cap area of a supermarket, and are often supplied with a skirt or clip-on display frame. Many are designed to sit on a full-size pallet during transport and to be lifted off with a hand pallet truck or a special quarter-pallet truck in the store.
A dolly is a 600 × 400 mm (or similar) platform on castors, typically made of plastic. Dollies carry stacks of crates, trays or cases from the delivery vehicle to the shelf and are widely used in dairy, bakery and fresh produce supply chains. They are moved by hand or with tow handles rather than by forklift, and they function as returnable transport packaging in closed loops.
Pallet pooling companies rent half and quarter pallets alongside full-size pallets, usually in plastic for display formats because plastic is easier to keep clean and visually uniform on the sales floor. The economics of rented versus owned pallets are discussed in pallet pooling.
Where small pallets make sense
Small formats have clear advantages and some real limitations.
Advantages - Products go from truck to aisle without re-handling, cutting labour in stores. - Promotional displays are built once at the manufacturer or co-packer. - Lower weight per unit eases manual handling: an EPAL 6 weighs about 9.5 kg, compared with about 25 kg for a Euro pallet. - The 600 × 400 mm module lines up with crates and trays already used in retail.
Limitations - Lower load capacity: EPAL 6 is rated at 750 kg and EPAL 7 at 500 kg, against 1,500 kg for the Euro pallet. - More units to handle per tonne of goods, which raises handling cost in the warehouse. - Many half and quarter pallets need to ride on a larger carrier pallet for long-haul transport and racking. - Not all racks, conveyors and automated systems accept small formats.
For mixed loads, check how many half or quarter pallets fit per trailer and whether they will be shipped loose or consolidated; see pallets in trucks.
Frequently asked questions
What size is a half pallet?
In Europe a half pallet measures 800 × 600 mm, exactly half of a 1200 × 800 mm Euro pallet. EPAL licenses two versions, EPAL 6 (144 mm high) and EPAL 7 (163 mm high).
What is the difference between EPAL 6 and EPAL 7?
EPAL 6 is a nine-block scaled-down Euro pallet with a 750 kg safe working load. EPAL 7 uses three blocks plus steel spacers and rivets, has a 500 kg safe working load and was developed as an alternative to the Düsseldorf pallet.
Is there an EPAL quarter pallet?
EPAL's licensed load carriers include the Euro pallet, EPAL 2, EPAL 3, the EPAL 6 and EPAL 7 half pallets, the box pallet and CP pallets, but no 600 × 400 mm quarter pallet. Quarter pallets are generally plastic products from manufacturers or pooling companies.
Can half pallets be stacked?
Yes, within limits. EPAL states that when laden EPAL 6 or EPAL 7 pallets are stacked on a solid, even surface, the bottom pallet must not carry more than 1,500 kg in total.
Sources
- EPAL 6 half pallet: technical data — European Pallet Association (EPAL)
- EPAL 7 half pallet: technical data — European Pallet Association (EPAL)
- The new EPAL Half pallet increasingly popular on the market — European Pallet Association (EPAL)
- EPAL Euro pallet: technical data — European Pallet Association (EPAL)
- EUR-pallet — Wikipedia