How to Track Expiry Dates in a Retail Store
One product can arrive in several deliveries with different dates. A single product-level expiry field cannot show which batch should be checked first. A useful system keeps the date, quantity and location together.
Start at receiving
Record the product identifier, date type, printed date, quantity and where the stock will be kept. If a case contains mixed dates, split it into separate batch records. Check damaged packaging and storage instructions before shelving stock.
- Scan or enter the product barcode.
- Create one line per distinct printed date.
- Keep the received quantity and the actual date visible to the next shift.
Make checks part of the shift
Use a short list of batches approaching their dates, ordered by urgency. Verify the printed date on the shelf rather than treating the database as infallible. Check front-of-shelf and backroom units so an older batch is not hidden behind new stock.
- Name who checked the shelf and when.
- Record removals, returns or markdown decisions.
- Correct counting errors with an explanation.
Know the difference between date marks
A use-by date relates to safety; food past its use-by date must not be sold. Best-before relates to quality, and a past-date product may be sold only if it is still fit for consumption. Follow the label, storage instructions and local rules. An app alert helps find the product but does not decide whether it is safe.
- Remove past use-by stock from sale.
- Review best-before products for condition and suitability.
Review the pattern
Look at which products repeatedly reach their dates with too many units left. Adjust order sizes, shelf rotation or promotion timing rather than simply repeating the same markdown every week.
Worked example: two dates, one barcode
A store receives 18 yoghurts with a use-by date of 12 October and 24 more with a use-by date of 19 October. Both deliveries scan to the same barcode. Enter two batches: 18 units for 12 October and 24 for 19 October. A single record of 42 units with the later date would hide the earlier stock from the daily check.
At the next shelf check, staff find 15 of the earlier batch after three have sold. They confirm the printed date, bring those units to the front and record the check. If the earlier batch reaches its use-by date unsold, remove those units from sale rather than changing the date on the product record. The later batch keeps its own count and date.
The useful record is a batch with a real date and a clear action, not just a product name on a list.
Further reading: Food Standards Australia New Zealand: use-by and best-before dates ↗
Expiry Date Calculator
Calculate a date from a start date and shelf life in days, weeks, months or years, or count days until expiry.