Published February 25, 2026
Pallets look standardized — and in North America, one size really does dominate. But “standard” hides a surprising amount of variety, and choosing the right footprint affects how efficiently you fill a truck, how well your product sits, and what you pay.
Here’s the practical rundown.
The 48×40 GMA pallet
The 48×40-inch pallet is the workhorse of North American shipping. It’s often called a GMA pallet, after the Grocery Manufacturers Association that standardized it, and it’s the most common size by a wide margin.
Why it won:
- It fits efficiently in standard trailers and sea containers.
- It suits the grocery and retail supply chains that move enormous volumes.
- Because it’s everywhere, it’s the cheapest to buy new and the most abundant recycled, with the best availability and pricing.
If you have no specific reason to use something else, 48×40 is almost always the right default.
Other sizes you’ll run into
Plenty of industries have their own common footprints:
- 48×48 — drums and chemical containers
- 42×42 — telecom, paint, and some beverage applications
- 40×48 — the same footprint as GMA, just oriented differently for how it’s loaded
- 36×36 — beverage and specialty uses
- 48×45 — automotive
Sizes also vary internationally. The European EUR/EPAL pallet, for example, is 1200×800 mm (roughly 47×31 inches), which matters if your product moves through European supply chains.
When a custom size makes sense
Standard footprints are cheaper and more available, so use them when you can. But a custom pallet is worth it when:
- Your product is oversized, long, or an unusual shape and overhangs a standard deck.
- You’re shipping heavy or concentrated loads that need reinforced construction.
- You want to maximize fit inside a specific trailer or container and squeeze out wasted space.
- Your automation or racking was built around a non-standard dimension.
A pallet engineered to the load protects the product, uses space efficiently, and is safer to handle — which often pays back the modest premium over a standard size.
Don’t forget construction
Footprint is only half the decision. How the pallet is built — stringer vs. block — affects strength, forklift access, and durability. That’s a topic of its own: see stringer vs. block pallets.
The bottom line
Default to 48×40 unless you have a concrete reason not to — it’s the cheapest, most available, and most compatible size in North America. Step up to a custom footprint when your product, equipment, or container genuinely calls for it.
Not sure what your load needs? Send us the dimensions and weight and we’ll recommend a size — standard or custom. Get a quote and we’ll spec it for you.