Apparatus for arranging articles in groups includes a conveyor for moving a single row of articles in contacting relation with each other, a plurality of shuttle elements movable alongside the articles and at a velocity less than the velocity thereof and slidable in a direction transverse thereto, the shuttle elements being engageable respectively with a leading part of an article so as temporarily to control the velocity thereof, shuttle withdrawing cams engageable in sequence with the shuttles to impart transverse movement thereto in a direction away from the articles together with a stabilizing element engageable with the articles for preventing rotary movement thereof during shuttle withdrawal movement.