Europe Refrigerated Transport Market Size & Share Analysis - Growth Trends And Forecast (2025 - 2030)

Europe Refrigerated Transport Market Trends and Insights

Expanding Demand for Frozen & Convenience Foods

Frozen vegetable imports reached EUR 791 million in 2024, with Europe absorbing 47% of the global total. Internal EU trade covers 87% of this flow, creating dense, short-haul routes that optimise truck utilisation and lower spoilage risk^{[3]CBI, “European Market Potential for Frozen Vegetables,” cbi.eu}. Younger consumers drive the adoption of ready-to-eat meals, reinforcing year-round demand for reliable chilled and frozen logistics. Belgium’s leadership in frozen-vegetable exports exemplifies regional specialisation that multiplies cross-border transport jobs. Grocery retailers logged 2.4% sales growth in 2024, slightly above food inflation, signalling steady cold-chain throughput.

Biopharma Cold-Chain Expansion

DHL committed EUR 2 billion by 2030 to expand GDP-certified hubs and vehicles across Europe. GLP-1 drugs alone generated USD 53.6 billion in 2024 global revenue and need strict 2-8 °C handling. UPS, through Frigo-Trans and BPL acquisitions, adds specialised European lanes as 80% of local pharma output requires temperature control. Reusable packaging adoption is set to climb from 30% to 70%, reducing waste and cost. Germany’s status as the fourth-largest healthcare manufacturer anchors regional biopharma flows.

EU Food-Safety Regulations Enforcing Temperature Control

The ATP agreement and evolving HACCP rules raise equipment and documentation standards across all member states. Compliance pushes fleet owners toward telematics that monitor real-time temperatures; Schmitz Cargobull’s AGS deal addresses this demand. Brexit adds 20-hour delays at UK borders, prompting additional buffer capacity in reefer fleets. A May 2025 SPS accord aims to streamline checks, yet will take time to realise benefits. Operators investing early in digital traceability gain a competitive edge and mitigate penalties.

Growth of Organised Retail & E-Grocery

Platforms rely on micro-fulfilment centres that need high-frequency chilled replenishment within city cores. Retailers such as Rewe and Picnic reduce empty mileage by algorithmic route planning that raises basket sizes. Private-label penetration reached 39.1% of grocery sales in 2024, letting supermarkets insource cold-chain control for margin protection. Outsourced cold storage demand is predicted to climb 5-6% each year as retailers seek scalable capacity.

Driver Shortages & Rising Labour Costs

Europe needs 500,000 additional drivers and faces a forecast shortfall of 745,000 by 2028. More than 30% of current drivers are over 55, while only 5% are under 25, foreshadowing retirements that could erase 17% of the workforce by 2029. Germany alone lacks 70,000 drivers, intensifying wage inflation and bonus schemes. High licence fees deter young entrants, and only 4% of drivers are women, underscoring untapped potential. Fleet digitalisation and autonomous pilot projects aim to curb reliance on scarce labour.

High Fuel & Energy Prices

Diesel in Germany is expected to fluctuate between EUR 1.37-1.83 per litre (USD 1.58 -2.11) through 2025, squeezing margins. The Eurovignette shift from time to distance charging will nearly double tolls for diesel trucks and introduce CO2 fees, accelerating electric adoption. Cold-chain operators shoulder dual energy burdens: traction fuel and refrigeration electricity, heightening exposure to volatility. Southern European fleets report cost surges equal to 2.5% of food-sector GDP, threatening small carrier viability. Zero-emission trucks enjoy temporary toll exemptions until 2026, yet high purchase prices and sparse chargers slow uptake.

Segment Analysis

By Mode of Transport: Road Dominance Faces Modal Shift Pressures

Road accounted for 66.00% of the European refrigerated transport market in 2024, thanks to dense road networks and door-to-door flexibility. However, the European refrigerated transport market size attached to air cargo is rising because pharma consignments command premium time-sensitive service at a 7.70% CAGR through 2030. Rail freight garners renewed interest as the Brenner Base Tunnel and Rail Baltica boost capacity for reefer wagons and support sustainability mandates. Maritime cold-chain cargo leverages short-sea initiatives and 5G reefer tracking to cut emissions and improve visibility.

Air expansion reflects high-value healthcare goods that require 2-8 °C assurance, a profile matched by new GDP hubs at European airports. Road fleets grapple with driver shortages of 426,000 in Q1-2025 that tighten capacity and raise contract prices. Policy support for modal shift channels freight from highways to rail and sea, aided by harmonised infrastructure funding. Yet last-mile constraints keep road as the mainstay for urban distribution, especially in e-grocery fulfilment that demands frequent chilled deliveries.

Note: Segment shares of all individual segments available upon report purchase

By Temperature: Chilled Dominance with Ultra-Low Growth Acceleration

Chilled movements (0-5 °C) accounted for 51.50% of the European refrigerated transport market in 2024, aligned with fresh produce and dairy flows. Deep-frozen and ultra-low (below -20 °C) cargoes are forecast to grow at a 7.30% CAGR through 2030, propelled by cell-gene therapies, vaccines, and plant-based protein ingredients that require stringent temperature control.

Ultra-low advances are enabled by natural refrigerants like CO2 and propane that comply with F-Gas rules and perform at cryogenic levels. Chilled leadership is reinforced by quick-commerce grocery that ships high-frequency mixed baskets needing narrow temperature tolerance. Digital thermostatic control through Lynx Fleet and battery-powered E-COOLPAC systems drives efficiency and decarbonisation. Operators diversify assets to cover the full spectrum from ambient stabilisation to liquid nitrogen units for -70 °C shipments, broadening service portfolios within the European refrigerated transport market.

Note: Segment shares of all individual segments available upon report purchase

By Application: Food & Beverages Leadership with Pharma Acceleration

Food and beverages held 27.40% of the European refrigerated transport market size in 2024, led by meat and seafood chains that rely on multi-temperature warehousing. Pharmaceuticals and life sciences are poised for the fastest 10.20% CAGR as GLP-1 drugs, cell therapies, and biologics rise in value density and temperature sensitivity.

Food flows remain stable because intra-EU trade satisfies 87% of frozen imports, ensuring short transit times and predictable lane density. Pharmaceutical operators invest in reusable containers and GDP-certified hubs, raising barriers to entry and yielding premium margins. Chemicals and specialty materials demand moderated but shifted toward stability-sensitive goods such as adhesives and coatings that need controlled conditions. Floral products leverage the Dutch auction network, though Brexit customs delays threaten UK sales, prompting a modal switch to rail Chunnel services for a longer shelf life.

Geography Analysis

Germany’s dominance rests on industrial scale and logistics density. Strong subsidies for electric truck charging help fleets comply with impending urban low-emission rules and offset high diesel tolls. Acute driver shortages, however, urge automation pilots and regional consolidation. UPS’s Frigo-Trans deal centralises Germany as a pharma gateway by adding GDP capacity and nationwide cold storage.

Poland’s growth leverages cost-competitive labour, new motorway links, and proximity to manufacturing clusters. Q1-2025 data show the Warsaw-Duisburg corridor sustaining volume despite regional softness, hinting at resilient bilateral trade. Lineage Logistics opened a Warsaw facility with automated high-bay freezers, signalling institutional interest in Polish cold-chains.

Mature markets such as France and the Netherlands stabilise via value-added services like automated cross-dock platforms and re-export hubs for southern produce. The UK grapples with border frictions that trim export freshness and add 20 hours to transit; Dutch hauliers consider halting UK runs unless clearance times fall. Italy and Spain contend with ageing driver workforces, yet gain from rising Mediterranean fruit exports that demand reefers.