How to Manage Expiry Dates in a Supermarket

UK supermarkets carry tens of thousands of product lines, each with its own expiry date. Managing these dates effectively is essential for food safety compliance, reducing waste, and protecting your business from legal action.

Best Practices for Supermarket Expiry Management

1. Implement FIFO Stock Rotation

First In, First Out (FIFO) is the foundation of good expiry management. When new deliveries arrive, place them behind existing stock so older products sell first. Train every staff member on this principle.

2. Daily Short-Life Checks

Products with shelf lives under 7 days — dairy, bread, fresh meat, prepared salads — need checking every morning. Assign specific staff to specific aisles so nothing gets overlooked.

3. Use Technology to Track Systematically

Manual checking alone cannot cover tens of thousands of products reliably. Barcode-based tracking systems like ExpGuard allow staff to scan products during stocking and receive automated alerts before items expire.

4. Establish a Markdown and Donation Process

Products approaching their expiry date should be marked down for quick sale or donated through schemes like FareShare. Having a clear process prevents waste and recovers value from products that would otherwise be binned.

5. Train All Staff on Date Labels

Ensure every team member understands the difference between use-by dates (food safety — must not be sold after this date) and best-before dates (quality — can still be sold after this date). This distinction is legally important under UK food law.