CBA (Consumer Brands Association, formerly Grocery Manufacturers Association) is the trade association whose pallet spec became the GMA standard.
Detailed Definition
The Grocery Manufacturers Association renamed itself the Consumer Brands Association in 2020, and CBA continues to represent major consumer packaged goods manufacturers. The GMA name survives in the pallet industry through the GMA pallet, the 48 x 40 inch stringer pallet that is the most common footprint in US grocery and consumer goods distribution. CBA does not certify individual pallets. Buyers who ask for a GMA pallet today are describing a style of pallet, and the actual dimensions, lumber and grade come from the buyer's or supplier's own specification.
Why the GMA name still appears on pallet specs
Grocery manufacturers and retailers worked through GMA to standardize the pallet that moved between their facilities, and the 48 x 40 inch footprint became the common size for that trade. The name stuck. Pallet suppliers, recyclers and buyers still say GMA pallet, GMA-style or GMA grade, even though the association has changed names and there is no single current GMA document that every supplier follows. Treat the term as shorthand, not as proof of compliance.
Reading a GMA-style specification
A typical 48 x 40 GMA-style pallet has three stringers running the 48 inch length, notched for partial four-way entry, with top and bottom deck boards across the 40 inch width. Beyond that, details vary. Confirm:
- Number, thickness and width of top and bottom deck boards
- Stringer size and notch dimensions
- Lumber species, and whether used pallets are Grade A or Grade B by the supplier's own definition
- Fastener type and pattern
- Heat treatment, if the pallet will be exported
Using the term in purchase orders
Because there is no single current GMA document behind the name, avoid purchase orders that only say GMA pallet. Attach a drawing or cut list, state new or recycled and the grade definition, and list any customer or export requirement. That turns a loose industry term into a specification both sides can check at receiving.
Authoritative Sources
- Consumer Brands Association (formerly GMA) (CBA): the trade association whose 48x40 inch pallet standard (the "GMA pallet") became the dominant US pallet specification.
Related Glossary Terms
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the Consumer Brands Association certify GMA pallets?
No. CBA is a trade association for consumer packaged goods companies, not a pallet testing or certification body. There is no CBA label or certificate that makes a pallet GMA compliant. When a buyer or retailer asks for a GMA pallet, they mean a 48 x 40 inch stringer pallet built to an agreed specification. Get that specification in writing and check deliveries against it.
Is a GMA pallet the same as any 48 x 40 pallet?
Not always. Many 48 x 40 pallets are block pallets, plastic pallets or lighter one-way stringer designs that would not be accepted where a GMA-style pallet is expected. The GMA-style pallet is usually a three-stringer, notched, partial four-way wood pallet with a defined deck board layout. If you only specify 48 x 40, you may receive a pallet that fits the footprint but not your customer's requirements.