Abstract: A protective tray for use in a palletized load of stacked packages of material, such as bags of particulate material, prevents the lower packages in the stack from being ripped or torn by the pallet slats in the event the load shifts laterally relative to the pallet and must be pushed back onto the pallet. The protective tray may be made from plastic or from a relatively high strength inexpensive fiberboard blank having fold and score lines enabling assembly of the blank to define a bottom panel and integral upstanding side panels and end members. The side panels and end members are maintained in upstanding relation to the bottom panel by corner retaining flaps. A low-friction sheet, such as heavy gauge paper, is preferably provided between the pallet and the bottom panel of the protective tray to facilitate sliding of the shifted load and protective tray onto the pallet.