Apparatus for automatically stacking packages on a support in a predetermined spatial arrangement to form a stack including - at least one supply conveyor, which provides the separate packages in a predetermined sequence; - a raising and lowering unit for raising and lowering a support (P, 8), arranged in a stacking location, in the Y direction; - shifting means adjacent to a delivery end of the supply conveyor which transfers the packages from the supply conveyor and transports them to the predetermined position in the stack; wherein the shifting means includes: - a positioning conveyor, which is adjacent to a delivery end of the supply conveyor and is arranged horizontally and along one side of the stacking location in order to position the packages in the X direction, - at least one sliding plate and a pusher in order to transport the packages from the positioning conveyor in the direction to the predetermined position in the stack, wherein the at least one sliding plate is constructed in the form of a flat, lamellar plate formed horizontally and along the side of the stacking location and movable transversely thereto in order to transfer the packages during pushing off of the packages by the pusher from the positioning conveyor at the X direction position and to deposit them in the Z direction onto the support (P, 8, 45) or in the stack, characterised in that the pusher is constructed in the form of an arrangement of a plurality of individual pushers arranged horizontally and along the side of the stacking location, which effect the pushing of the packages off the positioning conveyor in the direction towards the stack, wherein the individual pushers are each movable independently of the at least one sliding plate in the Z direction in order to restrain the package when the sliding plate is retracted. - at least one supply conveyor, which provides the separate packages in a predetermined sequence; - a raising and lowering unit for raising and lowering a support (P, 8), arranged in a stacking location, in the Y direction; - shifting means adjacent to a delivery end of the supply conveyor which transfers the packages from the supply conveyor and transports them to the predetermined position in the stack; wherein the shifting means includes: - a positioning conveyor, which is adjacent to a delivery end of the supply conveyor and is arranged horizontally and along one side of the stacking location in order to position the packages in the X direction, - at least one sliding plate and a pusher in order to transport the packages from the positioning conveyor in the direction to the predetermined position in the stack, wherein the at least one sliding plate is constructed in the form of a flat, lamellar plate formed horizontally and along the side of the stacking location and movable transversely thereto in order to transfer the packages during pushing off of the packages by the pusher from the positioning conveyor at the X direction position and to deposit them in the Z direction onto the support (P, 8, 45) or in the stack, characterised in that the pusher is constructed in the form of an arrangement of a plurality of individual pushers arranged horizontally and along the side of the stacking location, which effect the pushing of the packages off the positioning conveyor in the direction towards the stack, wherein the individual pushers are each movable independently of the at least one sliding plate in the Z direction in order to restrain the package when the sliding plate is retracted. - a positioning conveyor, which is adjacent to a delivery end of the supply conveyor and is arranged horizontally and along one side of the stacking location in order to position the packages in the X direction, - at least one sliding plate and a pusher in order to transport the packages from the positioning conveyor in the direction to the predetermined position in the stack,