Bringing batch and expiry tracking to a multi-brand retailer
A walk-through of how batch and expiry-date tracking typically gets put in place across a multi-site retail chain — the shape of the problem, the sequence we follow, and what usually changes.
Expiry dates tracked on a spreadsheet nobody fully trusted
A multi-site retail chain was tracking batch numbers and expiry dates on a shared spreadsheet, updated by whoever was on shift. Stock checks were manual and infrequent, so expired or near-expiry items sometimes reached the shelf, and fast-moving lines occasionally ran out because nobody had a real-time read on what was left where.
What this usually looks like
- Batch and expiry tracked on a shared spreadsheet
- Expired or near-expiry stock found on the shelf
- Manual, infrequent stock counts per site
- No shared view of stock across locations
Automatic tracking, first-expiry-first-out, one stock record
Automate batch & expiry tracking
Stock is logged by batch and expiry date at intake, with first-expiry-first-out prompts built into the pick and shelving process.
Low-stock & expiry alerts
Alerts fire ahead of an item expiring or a fast-mover running low, instead of a manual count catching it after the fact.
Audit-ready stock logs
A logged, auditable trail for stock movements across every site, ready to hand over if a supplier or auditor asks.
Fewer write-offs, fewer stock-outs, an audit trail that's already there
In engagements shaped like this one, expired-stock write-offs drop once first-expiry-first-out is automatic instead of manual; stock-outs on fast-movers become rarer once alerts fire ahead of time; and when a supplier or auditor asks how stock is tracked, the answer is already documented rather than assembled under pressure.
See what this looks like for your stores
Book a free technology assessment and we'll map the same kind of rollout to your sites and systems.