Expiry Date and Batch Tracking: A Practical FEFO Guide

If you sell food, supplements, cosmetics, pet food or anything with a shelf life, the question is not only how many you have, but which ones expire first. Expired stock is a direct loss, and in many categories selling it is not allowed. This guide shows how to track expiry dates and batches with FEFO – first-expired, first-out – without a complex warehouse system.

FIFO vs FEFO

• FIFO (first-in, first-out) sells the oldest delivery first. It works when every delivery has a similar shelf life.
• FEFO (first-expired, first-out) sells whatever expires first, regardless of when it arrived. A later delivery can expire earlier – FEFO catches that, FIFO does not.

For products with a shelf life, FEFO is the safer rule.

Why batch numbers matter too

A batch (or lot) number tells you which production run a unit came from. If a supplier recalls a batch, you need to find those units quickly – on the shelf, in the back room and in open orders. Without batch information, you end up pulling everything.

What 2D barcodes add

Linear barcodes (UPC/EAN) only carry the product number, so expiry and batch have to be read from the printed text. GS1 2D barcodes can carry them inside the code. In GS1 data, for example, (17) marks the expiry date and (10) the batch number. Medicines are a well-known example: in Turkey, every medicine box carries a GS1 DataMatrix with the product number, serial number, expiry date and batch number for the national tracking system (İTS).

Retail is gradually moving to these codes – see GS1 Sunrise 2027. Until your products carry them, a simple manual structure works just as well.

A simple FEFO count with your phone

You do not need lot-tracking software to start. With WiScanner's counting module:

1. Create one group per expiry month for the zone you are counting, for example A-01 · EXP 2026-12, A-01 · EXP 2027-03. For recall-sensitive products, use the batch number instead.
2. Sort as you scan: pick up a unit, read the date, switch to the matching group and scan. Live running totals show each group filling up.
3. Use Quantity Scan for full cartons from the same batch – one scan, type the quantity.
4. Fix mistakes on the spot – adjust a quantity or remove a wrong scan before closing the group.
5. Export to Google Sheets or CSV. You now have SKU, quantity, location and expiry month in one table.
6. Sort by expiry and decide: move to the front, run a promotion, transfer to a faster channel, or return to the supplier.

Rotating shelves the right way

• Receive with the date in mind. When a delivery arrives, check whether it expires earlier than what is already on the shelf.
• Put the earliest date in front, the latest behind it.
• Mark short-dated stock with a clear label and a separate location if needed.
• Pick by date, not by convenience. When picking orders, take from the earliest-expiring location first.
• Review weekly everything expiring in the next 30–90 days, depending on your products.

What to do with short-dated stock

• Discount or bundle before the date, not after.
• Move it to a channel where it sells faster – keeping stock in sync across channels helps, see multichannel inventory sync.
• Return or exchange it with the supplier if your agreement allows.
• Donate where permitted, and check the rules for your product category.

Expired items that cannot be sold are a form of dead stock – the same habit of frequent, quick counts prevents both.

Rules for food, cosmetics and medicines differ by country and category; always follow the regulations that apply to your products. Sources: GS1 General Specifications, Turkish Medicines and Medical Devices Agency (İTS barcode guide).