Methods for improving unit load efficiency

A method for increasing unit load efficiency, the method comprising:

• providing a unit load comprising a pallet and a stack disposed on the pallet,
• the pallet having a pallet length along a pallet longitudinal axis and a pallet width along a pallet lateral axis;
• the stack comprising a plurality of packages,
• the stack having an initial maximum stack length along the pallet longitudinal axis and an initial maximum stack width along the pallet lateral axis, wherein the initial maximum stack length and the initial maximum stack width are measured using the Stack Measurement Method;
• applying a force to the stack to reduce one or more of the initial maximum stack length to a compressed maximum stack length along the pallet longitudinal axis and the initial maximum stack width to a compressed maximum stack width along the pallet lateral axis, wherein the compressed maximum stack length and the compressed maximum stack width are measured using the Stack Measurement Method,
• wherein one or more of the compressed maximum stack length is from about 1% to about 10% greater than the pallet length and the compressed maximum stack width is from about 1% to about 10% greater than the pallet width.