Article summary:
- FEFO ensures products with the earliest expiry are shipped first
- FIFO relies on arrival dates and risks sending near-expired stock
- Even dry goods need expiry tracking to protect product quality
- Many retailers require at least 70% shelf life on delivery
- FEFO reduces waste, supports compliance, and protects margins
- Green Fulfilment uses tech-driven systems to automate expiry control
Your brand is growing. Orders are picking up. What used to be a simple warehouse operation now feels like a high-stakes puzzle, one where stale cereal, short-dated sauces, or flat-tasting coffee could end up in the hands of loyal customers.
Even if your products are shelf-stable, they still have limits. And when expiry dates are missed, so is your chance to make a good impression. That’s why more growing brands are turning to dedicated food and drink fulfilment services that can manage expiry dates with precision.
FEFO—First-Expire, First-Out—isn’t just another stock control method. For food and drink brands dealing with expiry dates, it’s the difference between protecting your product and compromising your reputation.
The Real Difference Between FIFO and FEFO
What is FIFO?
FIFO stands for First-In, First-Out. It’s a common inventory management method where the oldest stock, by arrival date, is shipped out first. For many product categories, like fashion or electronics, this makes sense. Items that arrived first are sent out first, helping keep warehouse flow simple and linear.
But in food and drink fulfilment, FIFO can be risky. Just because a product arrived earlier doesn’t mean it expires sooner. That’s where issues start to creep in.
What is FEFO?
FEFO flips the focus to what really matters: expiry dates. First-Expire, First-Out means the item with the nearest expiry date is always picked and shipped first, regardless of when it was received.
This model is especially important in sectors like food, beverage, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics, where safety, freshness, and regulatory compliance are key. But surprisingly, it’s just as critical for shelf-stable goods like:
- Dried pasta and pulses
- Granola bars and cereals
- Canned fruit and veg
- Bottled sauces and dressings
- Shelf-stable drinks and supplements
Why Shelf-Stable Doesn’t Mean Low-Risk
Shelf-stable goods are often misunderstood. Just because they sit on a shelf for months doesn’t mean they’re immune to degradation. Even minimal changes in temperature, humidity, or light exposure can accelerate shelf-life deterioration.
Customers expect consistency. If a product tastes different from the last time they ordered, it creates doubt, even if nothing is technically “wrong”. FEFO provides structure around freshness, helping protect not just product quality, but your brand reputation.
In some cases, retailer requirements demand a certain minimum shelf life on delivery, often 70 per cent or more. Without FEFO, it’s easy to fall short of these standards and face penalties, product rejections, or delistings. It’s not just about freshness; it’s about eligibility to sell.
Best Before vs Use By: Know the difference
- Best Before: Relates to quality. Products may still be safe after this date, but taste, texture, or appearance might be compromised.
- Use By: Relates to safety. Products should not be consumed after this date.
Customers notice
In eCommerce, you rarely get a second chance. If someone opens a box to find near-expired goods, it chips away at the relationship. Even if the product is technically safe, it doesn’t feel fresh, and that matters.
Negative reviews, product returns, and support tickets all add up. One short-dated delivery can undo months of brand-building.
The Key Differences Between FEFO and FIFO
| Feature | FIFO | FEFO |
| Based on | Date of receipt | Expiry date |
| Commonly used for | Fashion, homeware, tech | Food, drink, cosmetics |
| Risks | Missed expiry dates, quality decline | Requires robust tracking |
| Benefits | Simplicity, speed | Freshness, safety, compliance |
| Suitable for shelf-stable food? | Sometimes | Always recommended |
The Big Benefits of a Proper FEFO System
Waste reduction and better margins
Stock that expires in your warehouse is stock you paid for and can’t sell. FEFO drastically cuts this risk, helping you reduce waste and protect margins. That’s not just good for business, it’s essential for sustainability too.
At Green Fulfilment, our tech-enabled FEFO system supports waste reduction and aligns with our commitment to carbon-conscious logistics. Less waste means fewer write-offs, fewer lorry loads, and a smaller footprint.
Product quality that drives repeat orders
Customers expect long-lasting products, especially when ordering shelf-stable items in bulk. FEFO ensures your goods always arrive with the longest viable shelf life, improving customer satisfaction and driving loyalty.
Built-in compliance
Compliance doesn’t stop at expiry dates. As your business scales, traceability becomes vital. Whether you’re preparing for a BRC audit or managing a recall, having full batch-level visibility is critical.
FEFO systems make batch and lot number tracking easy. That’s essential for compliance with food safety regulations and critical for speedy, targeted product recalls. No guesswork. Just clarity and control.
Smoother inventory turnover
Efficient stock rotation means less cash tied up in ageing inventory and fewer space issues in the warehouse. Our clients benefit from consistent flow, real-time expiry visibility, and fewer disruptions to operations.
How Green Fulfilment Applies FEFO to Your Shelf-Stable Products
We work with a growing number of food and drink brands across the UK and EU, including those expanding into key European markets like the Netherlands, many of whom deal with products that appear low-risk on the surface but rely on strict expiry control behind the scenes.
Here’s how we handle FEFO at every step:
Advanced WMS with expiry tracking
From the moment stock arrives, we log expiry dates and track them through to despatch. Our WMS ensures your items are picked according to FEFO logic, not arrival order.
Smart picking and real-time alerts
Our expiry-sensitive picking process is fully automated, removing the risk of human error. Warehouse staff follow guided pick paths that prioritise near-dated items. If a product nears expiry, our system alerts your team, giving you time to act, whether that’s discounting, donating or rotating.
Even if you use subscription models or bundle kits, our systems apply FEFO logic across components so everything meets your standards.
Transparent reporting and client access
You’ll have access to expiry data, batch codes, and order history from your portal dashboard 24/7. Need reports for audits or retail partners? Pull them with a few clicks.
Whether you’re selling D2C or B2B, this level of visibility gives you control and confidence.
Dedicated fulfilment zones for dry goods
From barcoded racking to specialist handling zones, our fulfilment centres are designed to support accurate expiry control across dry, ambient and shelf-stable goods.
Is Your Current 3PL FEFO-Ready? Questions Worth Asking
If you’re currently outsourcing or considering a switch, ask your third-party logistics provider:
- How do you track expiry dates from goods-in?
- Can I see expiry and batch data in real time?
- What safeguards are in place to ensure FEFO is followed?
- What happens if a product is close to expiry?
- Can you support product recalls with lot-level tracking?
- How do you prevent FIFO from overriding expiry logic?
If you’re not getting clear answers, it might be time to find a fulfilment partner with the systems and mindset to handle expiry-sensitive products properly.
Frequently Asked Questions about FIFO, FEFO, and Shelf-Stable Logistics
What is the difference between FIFO and FEFO?
FIFO prioritises the oldest stock by arrival date. FEFO sends out the product that expires soonest, regardless of when it arrived.
Why is FEFO better for shelf-stable food?
Even long-life products have expiry dates. FEFO helps ensure freshness, reduce waste, and keep customers happy.
Do I need FEFO if I only sell dry goods?
Yes. Stale or short-dated goods can still frustrate customers and damage your brand.
Can FIFO cause compliance issues?
Yes. If FIFO results in expired products being shipped, it can lead to fines, recalls, and reputational damage.
Do 3PLs usually follow FEFO automatically?
No. Not all 3PLs prioritise expiry tracking. It’s essential to ask how they manage rotation and expiry during onboarding.
Can FEFO work with subscription box models?
Absolutely. Our systems apply FEFO logic even when building complex bundles or multi-SKU kits.
Partner with Green Fulfilment for Fresh, Compliant and Sustainable Fulfilment
Shelf-stable doesn’t mean set-and-forget. You need a fulfilment partner that understands the risks, handles expiry dates with care, and helps you build long-term trust with every delivery.
At Green Fulfilment, we combine smart tech, human expertise, and rigorous processes to make FEFO easy and efficient for food and drink brands. From warehousing to dispatch, we help you reduce waste, improve freshness, and grow sustainably.
Ready to see how our fulfilment system supports your expiry-sensitive products? Explore our Food & Drink Fulfilment Services