Information Relating To A Research Project On Pallets FOI Disclosure 2025/5 (pdf 1.2 Mb) FOI Disclosure 2025/6 (pdf 346 Kb)

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The Productivity Commission initiated a research project examining Australia's pallet supply chain, with particular focus on disruptions during 2021-2022. The disclosure comprises internal research committee updates documenting initial scoping and operational analysis rather than final recommendations. Key findings include: 91% of food and grocery businesses experienced significant additional costs from pallet sourcing during shortages; the market is dominated by two providers (CHEP 71%, Loscam 29%); major supermarkets engaged in pallet hoarding, disrupting the pooling model; and 66% of Australian businesses rely on third-party pallet pooling arrangements. The documents outline Australia's "most mature" pallet market globally, with 48.5 million units demanded in 2019 (96% wooden). The inquiry also flagged pre-pandemic issues including whether Australia's non-standard pallet dimensions constrain efficiency and technology adoption. These internal updates represent early-stage analysis