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Expired stock is pretty much money down the drain. While you may not be able to use/sell all stock before it expires, you can minimise your losses by keeping track of expiry dates and storing stock correctly. Below are just a few tips on how to reduce loss as a result of expired stock waste. 

Consider supplies beyond food/drink

When many of us think of expiry dates, we typically think of food and drink. But there are many other items that also have a use-by date that can get overlooked. For example, within an office, items like printer ink have an expiry date. Medication also has an expiry date – this could include any medication in a first aid kit. Other items with a shelf life include toothpastes, disinfectants, moisturisers and detergents – some of which can become less effective or even harmful once they expire. Make sure to check these items.

Store supplies at the right temperature

Some items need to be kept at a specific temperature – if not they will expire much more quickly. Consider whether you need to buy refrigerators to keep certain items cool. In some cases, a specific refrigerator may be recommended to keep items at a specific temperature. For example, a covid vaccine fridge is recommended for storing covid vaccines at the right temperature. Use a standard refrigerator, and these vaccines may expire prematurely and be unfit to use. 

Use a day dot system

Many bars and restaurants typically use a day dot system. Different coloured labels are used to let staff know exactly which day an opened bottle or certain tub of ingredients will expire. This allows you to easily keep track of which items are nearing their expiry date so that you may be able to find creative ways to put them to use. Once popular solution is to…

Promote products nearing expiry

To encourage customers to buy products that may be nearing their expiry, it’s worth promoting these items with boards or signs. Within a restaurant, it could be worth considering easy meals that you can make with ingredients near their expiry and then heavily promoting these meals. Discounts are one of the most effective forms of promotion. When it comes to products that are literally on their expiry date, do not worry too much about maintaining a profit – selling them for any price is better than having to put them in the bin, so don’t be afraid to slash prices dramatically. 

Maintain stock rotation

Stock rotation is another way to encourage customers to use products that are nearer their expiry date. This involves placing products nearest their expiry date at the front of the shelf, while placing products that still have many days left near the back of the shelf. Stock rotation can also be a useful habit to get into with general in-house supplies, encouraging staff to use supplies with a shorter expiry date first.