MATERIAL PRICES
Pallet Price Today: Price, Trends and Forecast 2026 | Tacto
22.06.2026
Current pallet price: EUR-1 new exchange pallet DACH around 12.17 EUR per unit, with the HPE solid wood for pallets index at 109.88 in June 2026 (+1.0 percent M/M, +16.0 percent Y/Y). Trend analysis on the easing upward momentum in pallet wood, the PPWR reuse mandate from 12 August (the 25 February Delegated Act exempts pallet wrapping and strapping), and the tight used-pallet market. Scenarios and procurement recommendations for European industrial buyers.
METHODOLOGY
For pallet pricing, the lead reference is the new EPAL exchange pallet price band tracked monthly by PalettenReport across over 1,500 reports, supplemented with the HPE solid wood for wooden pallets sub-index. Real procurement costs additionally include pallet class (new vs Class A/B/C), pool exchange logic, ISPM 15 heat treatment for export, logistics and seasonal demand, none of which are inside the wood index itself.
AT A GLANCE
- HPE solid wood for pallets index 109.88 in June (+1.0 percent M/M, +16.0 percent Y/Y); EUR-1 new pallet indicator around 12.17 EUR per unit.
- The monthly pace has halved (from +2.1 percent in May), the first sign of easing input-cost pressure.
- On 12 August the PPWR reuse mandate takes effect; the Delegated Act exempts pallet wrapping and strapping.
- Used market tight: Class A scarcer, export B/C cheapest since 2023.
Contents
What is moving the price right now?
The HPE solid wood for pallets index prints 109.88 index points in June 2026, up 1.0 percent versus May and 16.0 percent year on year (published 19 June). The index rises for the sixth month in a row, but the monthly pace has halved, from +2.1 percent in May. That is the first clear sign that input-cost pressure is easing, in line with a softening in spruce roundwood prices.
On 12 August the PPWR reuse mandate takes effect. The Delegated Act of 25 February exempts pallet wrapping and strapping from the reuse obligation, but the rest of transport packaging is in scope. Pre-compliance procurement keeps supporting demand.
The used market stays tight: Class A is scarcer (pool circulation), while B and C remain oversupplied. Export pallets in class B/C are the cheapest since 2023.
What we watch: the clarification of the PPWR scope and whether the pallet-wood deceleration continues.
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What does this mean for procurement in DACH?
Account for the 12 August PPWR deadline in contracts. Clarify by then which transport packaging falls under the reuse obligation and which (pallet wrapping, strapping) is exempt.
Weigh pooling (CHEP, LPR, EPAL pool) against own stock. With wood-price momentum easing, the calculation tilts less decisively toward pooling than before, though a fixed exchange price stays the strongest argument while the base rises.
Anchor standard EUR pallets to the HPE solid wood for pallets index. Export pallets in class B/C are currently the cheapest since 2023.
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Pallet Price Forecast: Our Procurement Intelligence Team's Assessment
Base Scenario
EUR-1 new 12.00 to 12.50 EUR, HPE wood base 109.88 (sixth consecutive rise, pace halved to +1.0 percent). Used pallets still oversupplied but the B-grade discount is narrowing. The softwood deficit supports the wood base.
Risk Scenario
HPE index above 112, the end of the bark-beetle salvage bonus deepens scarcity, PPWR transition effects and EPAL capacity ceilings. Probability 25 to 30 percent.
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Frequently Asked Questions
When your application is high-volume, closed-loop (same origin and destination), and geographically concentrated. In such scenarios, rising new-pallet costs combined with improved pool-system utilization (CHEP, iGPS, PECO) have shifted the total-cost-of-ownership calculus in favor of lease models for 2026. However, pool systems require operational discipline and asset-tracking capability — they’re not a universal replacement for owned pallets.
Most sensitive right now are ISPM 15 heat-treated export pallets, custom non-standard formats, and closed-loop high-volume applications evaluating pool systems. These segments are where heat-treatment capacity constraints, format premiums, and operational economics show up first.
Lumber is important but too narrow as a sole reference. While softwood lumber (typically 60–70% of pallet cost) is the dominant driver, procurement costs also reflect heat-treatment capacity constraints, format premiums, transportation, and manufacturer margins. For your price validation, a decomposition approach (lumber + treatment + format + delivery) is significantly more defensible than a single lumber price.
The indicator is a market anchor, not a 1:1 purchase price. It tracks the BLS Producer Price Index for Wood Pallets and Skids (WPU0841) and is supplemented with current pallet-specific lumber, heat-treatment, and supply chain intelligence. Your actual procurement costs additionally depend on pallet design (GMA 48×40" standard vs. custom), condition (new vs. reconditioned), ISPM 15 heat-treatment status, and whether you’re purchasing ownership or leasing via pool systems (CHEP, PECO, iGPS).
