Medium-duty shelving or pallet racking: which should you choose?
In short
Medium-duty shelving is made for the manual picking of loads of 100 to 600 kg per level, picked at hand height, for around €60 to €120 excl. VAT per linear metre. Pallet racking stores full pallets handled by forklift, up to 3,000 kg per pair of beams, for €80 to €150 excl. VAT per location.
The comparison in one table
Medium-duty shelving (or picking shelving) and pallet racking respond to two different logics: serving parcels by hand or storing full pallets by machine. The table below sums up the structuring differences observed in 2026.
| Criterion | Medium-duty shelving | Pallet racking |
|---|---|---|
| Load per level | 100 to 600 kg | 2,000 to 3,000 kg per pair of beams |
| Stored unit | Parcels, bins, boxes, parts | Full pallets (Euro 800 × 1,200 mm) |
| Picking mode | Manual, at hand height | Forklift or order picker |
| Common height | 2 to 4 m (more with walkways) | Up to 10 to 12 m and beyond |
| Aisle width | 0.80 to 1.20 m (pedestrian) | 2.7 to 3.5 m depending on the truck |
| Indicative 2026 price | €60 – 120 excl. VAT per linear metre | €80 – 150 excl. VAT per location |
| Design reference | FEM 10.2.06 (manual loading) | NF EN 15512 |
When to choose medium-duty shelving
Medium-duty shelving is the go-to as soon as the picking unit is the parcel, the bin or the part: store stockrooms, workshops, after-sales service, retail order picking. Its shelves (tubular, chipboard or metal) accept 100 to 600 kg per level and are adjusted without tools, with pedestrian aisles of 0.80 m minimum recommended by the INRS.
Its height deliberately stays low: the top picking level is ideally around 1.80 m so as to remain accessible without a step. To increase density beyond this, additional levels served by walkways are stacked rather than raising the shelves out of reach.
When to choose pallet racking
Pallet racking is the go-to when the goods live on pallets: receiving, bulk storage, dispatch. Each level takes 2,000 to 3,000 kg per pair of beams in the standard configuration, the beams are adjusted in steps of about 50 mm and the height makes use of the whole building, up to 10 to 12 m with a reach truck.
Its cost is reasoned per pallet location: €80 to €150 excl. VAT installed in conventional racking. The aisle width depends on the machine (about 3.5 m for a counterbalance truck, 2.7 to 3 m for a reach truck), and the dimensioning follows NF EN 15512, with load notices mandatory in operation.
The decisive criterion: the picking unit
The right question is not "which racking is the best?" but "what does the operator pick up?". If the answer is a parcel, medium-duty shelving (or pallet racking fitted with picking levels) serves productivity; if the answer is a pallet, only pallet racking is suitable. According to logistics studies, order picking commonly represents more than half of a warehouse’s operating costs: it is what should be optimised first.
Many sites combine both logics in the same bay: low decked levels for picking at hand height, high levels as palletised reserve. This hybrid configuration avoids doubling the areas and shortens the replenishment trips.
The mixed layout: picking at the front, pallets behind
The most common layout in SMEs combines a picking area in medium-duty shelving near the packing stations and a reserve in pallet racking for replenishment. The flow reads from one end to the other: receiving, bulk storage, picking, packing, dispatch.
For high-turnover SKUs, dynamic bin shelving (2 to 4 times the price of static for equal capacity) can complete the arrangement by reducing movements. The layout study arbitrates between density, aisle width and picking productivity, on the basis of the actual turnover.
Safety: the obligations common to both families
- Display the load notices: maximum loads per level and per bay, a requirement of NF EN 15635 restated by the INRS.
- Comply with the design reference: NF EN 15512 for pallet racking, the FEM 10.2.06 recommendation for hand-loaded shelving.
- Anchor the structures in accordance with the manufacturer’s manual; this is systematic for pallet racking.
- Protect the uprights exposed to machine impacts (foot guards, front protectors) in the traffic areas.
- Organise monitoring: regular visual checks and an expert inspection at least annually in accordance with NF EN 15635.
Frequently asked questions
What load can medium-duty shelving support?
From 100 to 600 kg per level depending on the models and the span of the shelves. Beyond this, the loads come under pallet racking (2,000 to 3,000 kg per pair of beams) or specific solutions dimensioned by the manufacturer.
Can you do picking in pallet racking?
Yes: the low levels are fitted with decking (timber or metal) to pick parcels at hand height, and the high levels are kept as replenishment pallets. This hybrid configuration is the most widespread in SME warehouses and trade merchants.
Which is cheaper?
Per linear metre, medium-duty shelving (€60 to €120 excl. VAT) costs less than pallet racking on a per-location basis (€80 to €150 excl. VAT). But the right comparison is made on the usable volume and per order line picked: for full pallets, pallet racking remains unbeatable; for parcels, medium-duty shelving avoids tying up a forklift.
Are the standards the same for both?
No. Pallet racking is designed to NF EN 15512; static hand-loaded shelving comes under the European recommendation FEM 10.2.06. In operation, NF EN 15635 (monitoring, inspections, load notices) applies to both families.
What is the maximum height for manual picking?
The top picking level should stay around 1.80 m for a standing operator, without a step. To store higher, you move to additional levels served by walkways, or to a palletised reserve above the picking levels of pallet racking.
Does medium-duty shelving need to be anchored?
Follow the manufacturer’s manual: anchoring is required as soon as the slenderness, the load or the environment (impacts, traffic areas) requires it, and it is systematic for pallet racking. When in doubt, anchor: the cost is marginal compared with the risk of overturning.
Sources & references
- NF EN 15512 and NF EN 15635: design and operation of pallet racking (AFNOR)
- FEM 10.2.06, European recommendation for static steel shelving loaded by hand (European Materials Handling Federation)
- INRS, brochure ED 771 "Metal shelving" and pedestrian circulation benchmarks
- Kollirama market observations: picking and pallet racking quotes (2023–2026)
Related guides
How to choose your warehouse shelving: the complete 2026 guide
Pallet racking, cantilever, dynamic shelving: the right choice depends on the load, the turnover of SKUs and the available height.
Cantilever racking vs pallet racking: the comparison
Cantilever stores long loads (tubes, timber, panels) thanks to its cantilevered arms; pallet racking remains unbeatable for palletised loads.
How much does warehouse racking cost in 2026?
Allow €80 to €150 excl. VAT per pallet location for conventional racking installed in 2026. Ranges by type, budget examples and price factors.