Wooden pallets have their place, but in hygiene-led, high-volume operations they can quickly become a liability. Splinters, trapped dirt, and moisture absorption all work against food safety, audit standards, and long-term durability.
That’s where plastic pallets come in. Built from heavy-duty HDPE with fully sealed, solid decks, they offer a consistent, easy-clean platform for food manufacturing, cold storage, and controlled environments. In this guide, we’ll focus on two key options: a hygienic plastic pallet for food and pharma use, and a recycled plastic pallet for sustainable warehousing and logistics.
Why Operations Are Switching to Plastic Pallets
For sites handling chilled, frozen, or high-care product, switching to heavy duty plastic pallets isn’t just a nice-to-have - it’s a practical way to reduce contamination risk, protect staff, and improve consistency in automated systems.
- Smooth, non-absorbent surfaces that are easy to clean
- No nails, splinters, or broken boards to cause product damage
- Consistent sizing for conveyors, racking, and automated handling
- Longer working life than many wooden alternatives
For food manufacturers in particular, a hygienic plastic pallet with a solid deck is a simple way to close gaps in your hygiene and compliance plan.
Hygienic Plastic Pallets for Food & Pharma Environments
In high-care and high-risk zones, surfaces matter. A solid deck plastic pallet with a fully closed structure helps prevent spills, debris, and dust from collecting in open boards or cavities. That makes routine cleaning easier and supports HACCP, BRCGS, and retailer audit requirements.
Plastic Pallet – Solid Deck, 5 Runner
Designed for hygiene-led operations, this solid deck plastic pallet in food-grade HDPE resists impact, moisture, mould, and contaminants. The five-runner base gives excellent stability in racking and conveyor systems.
- Food-safe HDPE construction for direct and indirect contact areas
- Solid, crevice-free top surface for easy wipe-down
- Static load up to 5,000kg; rackable to 1,250kg
- Protective lips to help secure loads in transit
- Available in food-approved colours for zone and allergen control
For chilled stores, low-risk production, and areas under tighter microbiological control, this style of hygienic plastic pallet helps keep workflows simpler and audits less stressful.
Recycled Plastic Pallets for Sustainable Warehousing & Logistics
Not every pallet in your operation needs to be food-contact approved. For internal transfers, finished goods, and non-food materials, a recycled plastic pallet gives you the performance of HDPE with a lower environmental footprint.
Recycled Plastic Pallet – Solid Deck, 5 Runner
Manufactured from recycled HDPE, this recycled plastic pallet offers a high-capacity handling solution for warehousing, logistics, and non-food production areas – without sacrificing strength or stability.
- Closed solid deck with crevice-free design for easy cleaning
- Five-runner base for safe stacking and rack loading
- Static load up to 5,000kg; dynamic up to 2,500kg; rackable to 1,250kg
- Black recycled HDPE for long-term durability
- Ideal for internal pallet pools and supply chain handling
Using recycled options where food-contact approval isn’t required is a simple way to align your pallet fleet with wider sustainability goals.
Stackable Plastic Pallets Built for Racking, Automation & Transport
Both pallets feature a full five-runner base, making them ideal as stackable plastic pallets in high-density storage and automated systems. Consistent dimensions and a solid deck mean fewer issues with conveyors, palletisers, and shuttle systems compared to uneven wooden pallets.
- Reliable performance in beam racking and drive-in systems (check site load ratings)
- Compatible with standard forklifts and pallet trucks
- Stable stack profiles for transport and warehouse storage
- Less variation than timber pallets, reducing jams and mis-reads in automated kit
For multi-site operations, standardising on a small set of heavy duty plastic pallets keeps your handling predictable from goods-in all the way to dispatch.
Where Plastic Pallets Fit in Your Operation
- Food manufacturing: hygienic staging of ingredients, WIP, and finished goods
- Cold storage: moisture-resistant, easy-clean pallets for chilled and frozen stores
- Pharmaceutical and healthcare: smooth, non-absorbent platforms for clean handling
- Warehousing & logistics: long-life pallets for internal shuttles and racked storage
- Packaging & print: stable support for cartons, film, and packaging materials
- Retail and distribution centres: consistent, low-maintenance pallets for high-throughput environments
Ready to Standardise on Plastic Pallets?
Whether you’re upgrading from timber or expanding an existing pool, Fletcher European can help you specify hygienic plastic pallets and recycled plastic pallets that work across food manufacturing, warehousing, and logistics.
Browse Plastic Pallets or Email our team for advice on mixing food-grade and recycled options in your fleet.