Stretch film and strapping: when to combine them on a pallet load

Many pallet loads leave a warehouse wrapped in stretch film, and some are strapped as well. Some loads genuinely need both. Others carry a second material out of habit, or lack one that the journey demands. The way to decide is to be clear about the different job each material does.

This guide looks at the combination as of October 2022, including how EU roadside inspection rules and the UK’s Plastic Packaging Tax frame it.

Two materials, two jobs

Stretch film wraps around the load and the pallet. Applied well, it holds many small units together as one block, keeps a top layer from shifting and gives some protection against dust and moisture. Its holding force is spread over a large area.

Strapping does something different. A strap is a narrow band of concentrated tension. Run vertically through the pallet, it ties the load down to the deck and resists layers separating. Run horizontally, it binds units together as a bundle. It can hold heavy or rigid items that film alone would let move, and a strap with a re-tensionable closure can be tightened again if the load settles.

Seen this way, the combination is not duplication. Film contains; strap compresses and ties.

Signs that a load needs both

• Dense, heavy units such as bricks, tiles, bagged material or metal parts, where film can stretch under the load’s movement.
• Tall or narrow pallets that may rock during braking or cornering.
• Loads that settle during transport, so that film slackens around a shrinking block.
• Units that must stay attached to the pallet when the pallet is lifted or tilted.
• Long journeys with repeated handling, such as road legs either side of a sea passage.
• Loads that need weather protection and a firm tie-down at the same time.

If none of these apply, film alone may be sufficient. If only the tie-down matters and the units are large and stable, strap alone may do. The test described below settles the question.

Order of application and contact points

There is no universal order, but each choice has consequences.

Strap first, then film. The film covers straps and closures, keeping tails tidy and protecting the joint from snagging. Inspection is harder, because the joint sits under the film, and a strap that slackens is hidden.

Film first, then strap. The strap compresses the film-wrapped block and stays visible for inspection and re-tensioning. Where a strap crosses a film-covered corner, contact pressure is concentrated, which can tear film or damage cartons. Edge protectors at those points spread the load; our sharp edges guide explains how to describe the contact path.

Choose one order for each pallet pattern, test it and write it down, so that different shifts do not improvise.

Test the load unit, not the materials

Inspectors and carriers look at the whole load. Annex III of Directive 2014/47/EU, which sets the principles for cargo securing checks during EU roadside inspections and has applied from 20 May 2018, lists EUMOS 40509 for transport packaging alongside standards such as EN 12195-1 for lashing forces. Its deficiency examples include transport packaging that does not allow proper load securing. In other words, the packaging pattern is part of what is judged, not just the lashings on the vehicle.

For containers and other cargo transport units, the CTU Code offers non-mandatory practical guidance on packing and securing.

Practical steps follow from this:

1. Define a pattern for each load type: film specification and wrap sequence, strap material and width, number and position of straps, closure and tool.
2. Test a representative load, using a recognised method or a test house where the risk justifies it.
3. Record the result with the pattern and the date, and repeat the test when any element changes.

A strap that is stronger on paper does not compensate for a film pattern that lets the top layer move, and more film does not replace a missing tie-down.

Plastic weight and the UK tax

For UK operations, both materials are plastic packaging. The GOV.UK examples of packaging in scope of Plastic Packaging Tax, updated on 12 October 2022, list pallet wrap as an in-scope example of packaging designed for use in the supply chain. Plastic strap is also predominantly plastic.

Record the film and strap weight per pallet pattern. If a pattern is changed to reduce plastic weight, the new pattern still has to pass the same load test.

Write one packing instruction

Element	What to specify
Film	Supplier reference, wrap sequence at base and top, overlap
Strap	Material, nominal width, grade reference, number and positions
Closure	Clip, buckle or seal description and the tool used
Edge protection	Type and positions
Order of application	Strap first or film first
Verification	Test reference, date and the person who approved the pattern

Keep the instruction at the station and with the purchasing team, so that a replacement film or strap is checked against the approved pattern before it reaches the line.

For the strapping elements, YAKU lists PET strap and woven strap on request, with sheet metal clips and wire buckles as closures. Share the load type and the current pattern through the enquiry page. Strength values are on request for the actual proposed combination.