Operations
FEFO in vending: restock by expiry date
Term from the vending glossary
FEFO means first expired, first out: products with the earliest relevant date are sold first or placed at the front. In vending machines, this reduces the risk of earlier-dated batches being left behind while stock with a later date remains available.
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How does FEFO work in snack and combination machines?
When restocking, prioritise products with the earliest relevant date. A hypothetical example before either date has passed: sandwich batch A is dated 14 October and batch B is dated 18 October. Place batch A at the front of the dispensing channels and batch B behind it. FIFO, by contrast, sorts stock by its arrival date. FEFO uses the expiry date and is therefore more precise when batches have different remaining shelf lives.
During every refill, check the product, batch or lot, date and channel position. A simple label on a transport crate or a digital stock list may be sufficient. GS1 explains that enhanced barcodes can contain expiry dates and batch numbers. These data can distinguish stock by shelf life and help identify items that need removing from sale or storage (GS1 retail 2D barcode guideline).
Do not treat best-before and use-by dates alike
A best-before date describes expected quality under the specified storage conditions. Passing it does not automatically mean a product has spoiled. A use-by date applies to highly perishable foods. Products labelled use by should not be consumed after that date, and vending operators should remove them from sale in accordance with applicable food-safety rules (German food ministry: date labels; EFSA: food date labelling). FEFO therefore does not replace checks of refrigeration, packaging and date labels.