An apparatus and a process for the automatic palletising and/or depalletising of containers, in particular small-load carriers, having a control device are described. The control device is functionally connected to at least one sensor device for detecting the position and/or the orientation of at least one container to be gripped and to a gripping device for gripping the container. The gripping device has at least one outer gripper movable relative to the container for gripping at least one edge of the container. The outer gripper has at least two gripping jaws.