FEFO
What is FEFO (first expired, first out)?
First expired, first out (FEFO) ships the stock with the nearest expiry first, regardless of when it arrived. It beats FIFO wherever age and expiry disagree: a newer batch with a shorter shelf life must leave before an older batch that keeps longer, or the older stock expires waiting for its turn.
What the system needs to know
- Expiry (or best-before) per lot, captured at receipt, not guessed at pick time.
- Quantity per lot, so a pick can draw from two lots when one does not have enough.
- A pick rule that chooses by expiry automatically: left to memory, FEFO becomes FIFO on busy days.
- A view of what is close to expiry while there is still time to act (discount it, move it, tell the customer).
Who feels it first
Food, beverage, pharmaceuticals and anything with a dated shelf life: the write-offs from missed expiries are visible and avoidable. The same thinking helps wherever stock ages (packaging that yellows, tires, adhesives): the question is what runs out of life first, not what arrived first.