Long-Distance Refrigerated Trucking in European Union 2026: Industry Statistics & Trends

The European Union's long-distance refrigerated road freight industry is a highly regulated and essential component of the regional cold chain logistics market. It is primary responsible for moving temperature-sensitive goods, particularly food products, beverages, and tobacco, which led EU road freight transport performance at 312.2 billion tonne-kilometres in 2024. The industry is currently transitioning toward carbon-neutral operations while navigating strict veterinary, sanitary, and driver safety regulations.

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What does the Long-Distance Refrigerated Trucking in European Union industry cover?

This industry covers the long-distance transport of temperature-controlled freight over road networks utilizing specialized refrigerated trailers, known as reefers. These operations maintain unbroken thermal profiles for highly perishable or highly sensitive goods. The service ensures products stay within tightly monitored temperature ranges from the origin storage facilities to end distribution warehouses.

• •Primary cargo includes fresh produce, meat, dairy, pharmaceuticals, and sensitive chemical compounds.
• •Includes both national long-haul operations and complex cross-border transit across Schengen zones.
• •Standardized temperature settings are categorized into deep-frozen (below -18 °C), chilled (2 to 4 °C), and ambient pharmaceutical lanes (15 to 25 °C).

Who operates in the industry and how is it structured?

The market features a mixture of large multinational logistics groups with dedicated temperature-controlled fleets and thousands of small-to-medium enterprise (SME) subcontracted carriers. Large asset-heavy operators manage massive private fleets of modern tractors and trailers to guarantee capacity to major retail and pharmaceutical shippers. This dual structure results in highly competitive freight rates across major European transit corridors.

• •Asset-heavy operators invest heavily in telematics-enabled private fleets to manage the high risk of thermal excursions.
• •Small carriers frequently operate as subcontractors under the operational umbrella of third-party logistics (3PL) providers.
• •Eastern European carriers, particularly from Lithuania and Poland, maintain a dominant position in cross-border haulage performance.

What drives demand in the industry?

Demand is heavily driven by the retail food sector, general grocery consumption patterns, and strict public health requirements. Additionally, the growth of high-value, biopharmaceutical supply chains has introduced stringent climate-controlled transport requirements across the continent. These high-value corridors require continuous data logging and secure chain-of-custody protocols.

• •The food, beverage, and tobacco category represents the largest single segment, registering 312.2 billion tonne-kilometres in 2024.
• •The distribution of biologics, insulin, and specialized therapeutics relies entirely on GDP-certified transport infrastructure.
• •Consumer demand for year-round fresh imported produce drives stable north-south transport lanes, notably from Spain to Northern Europe.

Who are the notable companies in the industry?

The competitive landscape is comprised of specialized cold-chain giants, broad multinational logistics operators, and regional road transport champions. Competition is fierce, focusing on route network density, fleet reliability, real-time tracking transparency, and compliance standards. The market is gradually consolidating as larger entities acquire regional operators to scale their networks.

• •STEF Group is a dominant specialized cold chain operator, reporting a total revenue of €5,119.5 million in 2025.
• •Girteka is Europe's largest asset-based transport company, managing over 1,500 trucks and trailers with dedicated refrigerated services.
• •DFDS Logistics, DSV, and Dachser operate massive international networks featuring temperature-controlled divisions.
• •Waberer's International is a key Eastern European logistics provider with substantial cross-border refrigerated capabilities.

What are the recent trends and outlook?

The sector is prioritizing digital visibility and decarbonization to align with corporate emissions standards and cargo safety goals. Trailer builders are increasingly integrating factory-installed IoT telematics and solar-assisted reefer energy systems. Fleet modernization is required as operators seek to shield themselves from volatile diesel prices and urban emissions penalties.

• •Continuous 5G-enabled temperature tracking has reduced thermal excursion incidents by up to 35% for early-adopting fleets.
• •Fleet operators are retrofitting refrigerated trailers with solar panels to increase reefer uptime and reduce operational emissions.
• •Persistent driver shortages across Western Europe continue to put upward pressure on labor costs and operational capacity.

How is the industry regulated?

Compliance is the primary operational barrier in European refrigerated trucking, dictating vehicle specifications, hygiene protocols, and driver conditions. Carriers of foodstuff must maintain strict Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) safety programs. Pharmaceutical shipments are strictly governed by the European Union's Good Distribution Practice (GDP) guidelines.

• •The ATP Agreement governs the international carriage of perishable food and defines the technical standards for insulating and cooling equipment.
• •EU Mobility Package rules mandate strict driver rest cycles, cabotages limitations, and the return of trucks to their operational bases.
• •GDP guidelines legally mandate continuous temperature tracking and validated calibration for all pharmaceutical transports.

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

• Eurostat Road Freight Transport Statistics 2024 ·
• STEF Group Annual Results 2025 ·
• United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) ATP Agreement ·
• European Commission Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport