Freight Packing & Logistics Services in European Union: Market Size, Businesses & Forecast 2026

The freight packing and logistics services industry in the European Union provides crucial cargo handling, transport support, and customized packaging services that underpin intra-Union and international trade. Supported by recovering trade volumes, the EU road freight transport performance slightly increased by 0.6% in 2024 to reach a total of 1,869 billion tonne-kilometres, according to Eurostat. Concurrently, air freight and mail transport in the EU registered an 8.7% year-on-year growth, climbing to 14.3 million tonnes in 2024. The sector is navigating a strategic transition characterized by digital optimization, the integration of automation in warehousing, and strict regulatory alignme

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What does the Freight Packing & Logistics Services in European Union industry cover?

The industry encompasses auxiliary transportation services crucial for preparing, organizing, and executing the movement of cargo across various transport modes. It centers primarily on cargo loading and unloading, cargo packing, repackaging, and logistical preparation, alongside freight forwarding agency operations. These processes ensure that goods are safely secured and compliant with cross-border transit regulations before entering maritime, road, air, or rail corridors.

• •Classified under NACE Rev. 2 codes H52.24 for cargo handling and H52.29 for other transportation support activities.
• •Includes specialized activities like stevedoring, container packing, crate design for hazardous goods, and commercial customs brokerage.
• •Excludes basic warehousing operations (NACE H52.10) and direct transport postal services unless tied to freight forwarding.

Who operates in the industry and how is it structured?

The European market is highly tiered, balancing massive global logistics integrators with thousands of highly specialized regional small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Foreign-controlled multinational groups play a significant role, with Eurostat reporting that employment in transport and storage enterprises belonging to foreign-controlled multinationals grew by 30% from 2018 to 2023, reaching nearly 1.3 million employees. National transport volumes remain dominated by a handful of Member States, with Poland, Germany, and Spain collectively accounting for a significant share of European logistical capacity.

• •Poland continues to lead EU road freight transport, handling 368 billion tonne-kilometres (nearly 20% of the EU total) in 2024.
• •The top five nations, Poland, Germany, Spain, France, and Italy, comprised 67% of the entire road transport performance in 2024.
• •More than half of the EU transport employees working under foreign-controlled multinationals are concentrated specifically in support activities.

What drives demand in the industry?

Logistical activity and freight packing are intrinsically tied to manufacturing output, agricultural exports, and the expansion of cross-border e-commerce networks. High-value, perishable, and pharmaceutical products increasingly demand temperature-controlled packing and rapid modal shifts, such as air or express courier transport. Furthermore, a structural rebound in intra-EU trade following economic stabilization acts as a baseline driver for freight volume performance.

• •Food products, beverages, and tobacco led road freight transport demand in 2024, accounting for 312.2 billion tonne-kilometres.
• •Intra-EU air transport grew by 9.1% between 2023 and 2024, signaling heightened regional commercial flow.
• •Heavy cargo sectors such as metal ores and quarrying products drove road tonnage demand, comprising 3,007 million tonnes of transported freight in 2024.

Who are the notable companies in the industry?

Competition in the European logistics and freight packing market is intense, with global operators competing directly against localized, asset-light freight forwarders. Leading multinational players are focusing on expanding their European footprints through consolidation, high-tech tracking interfaces, and carbon-neutral freight offerings. Well-established, publicly traded logistics enterprises utilize extensive network density to retain major industrial contracts.

• •Kuehne + Nagel International AG operates a major road and contract logistics footprint across Europe, managing net turnover of CHF 24.8 billion in 2024.
• •DSV A/S is a dominant, publicly listed transport and logistics group active across all EU member states.
• •Deutsche Post AG (operating globally under DHL Group) leverages its extensive European network for parcel, express, and freight support services.
• •Other significant logistics operators with extensive operations in the EU market include GEODIS, CEVA Logistics, and DACHSER SE.

What are the recent trends and outlook?

The European logistics sector is progressively shifting toward automated packing lines, internet-of-things (IoT) tracking, and alternative-fuel fleets to enhance efficiency. There is a pronounced rise in cross-trade and cabotage transport, indicating that logistics operators are looking to maximize backhaul capacity and minimize empty runs. This focus on efficiency is helping operators combat structural challenges, such as driver shortages and volatile fuel prices.

• •EU road cabotage transport increased by 4.8% and cross-trade grew by 3.5% in 2024, reflecting highly competitive intra-EU corridor routing.
• •Air freight transport of goods over distances exceeding 2,000 km was heavily concentrated, with 99% of total transport being extra-EU in 2023.
• •Producer prices for 'Warehousing and support activities for transportation' (NACE H52) experienced an annual decline of 3.9% in 2025, according to Italian statistical office Istat.

How is the industry regulated?

Operators within the EU must comply with stringent regulatory frameworks concerning cargo safety, packaging waste, and transport decarbonization. Major regulatory pressure stems from the European Green Deal and the Mobility Package, which mandate strict rules on driver working hours, vehicle emissions, and return-of-vehicle rules. Compliance with packaging waste directives requires service providers to shift toward recyclable or biodegradable packing materials.

• •The EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) imposes reporting and compliance requirements that impact logistics planning for imported freight.
• •Strict rules govern the transport, labeling, and specialized packing of hazardous materials under the European Agreement concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road (ADR).
• •The European Union's Circular Economy Action Plan forces logistics operators to minimize industrial packaging waste and optimize circular container usage.

Government, statistical and trade sources used for this Claight analysis.

• Eurostat Road Freight Transport Statistics 2024 ·
• Eurostat Air Freight Transport Statistics 2024 ·
• Eurostat Structural Business Statistics 2024 ·
• European Commission Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport (DG MOVE) 2025