First Expiry, First Out.
Not as a suggestion. As a rule.
Every sale automatically picks the batch expiring soonest. No training. No checklist. No “I forgot to check.” The cashier scans the product, the system picks the right batch. Done.
What FEFO actually means for your P&L
Let's do the arithmetic. A mid-sized grocery store (₹50 lakh annual revenue) typically carries ₹8-12 lakh in perishable inventory at any given time. Without FEFO, shrinkage runs 5-8% of perishable inventory. That's ₹40,000-96,000 per year in expired goods alone. Not damaged goods. Not theft. Just stock that sat behind newer stock on the shelf until its date passed.
With automatic FEFO, that same store runs 0.5-1.5% shrinkage. The difference — ₹30,000-80,000 per year — is pure profit recovery. It's not new revenue. It's revenue you were already earning and then throwing in the bin.
Without FEFO
With FEFO
Net savings: ₹30,000-80,000 per year in recovered profit
(That's 3-7x the cost of a ShelfLifePro subscription)
Zero training required. Here's why.
The cashier's job doesn't change. The system handles FEFO invisibly.
Stock arrives
You receive goods with batch/lot numbers and expiry dates. (OCR can do this automatically from the invoice.)
Cashier scans product
Customer brings Amul Taaza milk to counter. Cashier scans the barcode. That's it. That's the cashier's entire involvement in FEFO.
System picks the batch
ShelfLifePro checks all batches of Amul Taaza in stock. Batch expiring March 3 goes before batch expiring March 15. Automatic. Invisible to the cashier.
Stock rotates itself
Over time, the oldest stock always sells first. No physical rotation needed at the shelf level (though it's still good practice).
FEFO vs FIFO vs Manual Rotation
Three approaches to stock rotation. Only one is automatic and expiry-aware.
| Manual Rotation | FIFO Software | ShelfLifePro FEFO | |
|---|---|---|---|
| How it works | Staff checks dates, moves old stock forward | System picks oldest received stock | System picks batch expiring soonest |
| Staff training needed | 4-8 hours training + daily reminders | Moderate | Zero — automatic |
| Compliance rate | 40-60% (humans forget) | 80-90% | 100% |
| Typical shrinkage | 5-8% | 3-5% | 0.5-1.5% |
| Works for perishables | Poorly — too slow | Misses batches with different expiry | Built for perishables |
| Hour-level support | No | No | Yes — dairy, bakery |
For products that expire in hours, not months
Standard FEFO works at the day level. ShelfLifePro goes further.
Standard FEFO works at the day level. Bread expiring March 3 sells before bread expiring March 10. Fine for most products. But dairy, bakery, and prepared foods need more precision. ShelfLifePro tracks expiry to the hour. “Paneer expires at 6 PM today” is different from “paneer expires tomorrow at 6 PM.” The markdown engine uses this — morning paneer gets a smaller discount than afternoon paneer. The difference between 15% off (sold) and 100% off (bin).
Fresh bread
Baked at 6 AM, expires at 6 PM next day. FEFO picks this morning's loaves before yesterday's afternoon batch.
Curd/Yogurt
Opened container: 4-hour window. FEFO tracks opened vs sealed separately.
Prepared deli items
Sandwiches, salads, cut fruit. 4-12 hour windows with automated markdown triggers.
Built for your industry
Specialized FEFO workflows for pharmacies, supermarkets, bakeries, and distributors
Pharmacy
FEFO is mandatory for medicines. The system also tracks Schedule H1 per batch.
Supermarket
Multi-department FEFO: dairy, bakery, packaged goods, and produce each have different expiry timelines.
Dairy & Bakery
Hour-level FEFO with tiered markdowns. 35% off at T-4 hours, 50% off at T-2 hours.
FMCG Distributor
FEFO across your retailer network. See which retailers aren't rotating stock.
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about automatic FEFO
FEFO shouldn't require training. It should just work.
Start your free trial. Every sale picks the right batch from day one.