Stock Rotation

Why you need it

Food that sits forgotten at the back of a shelf goes out of date, gets wasted, or worse, gets used. Rotating stock keeps the earliest dates moving first.

Stock rotation is part of the storage safe methods in Safer Food, Better Business, and it helps you show that out-of-date food does not reach your customers.

What it’s for

Four steps for rotating stock: checking each delivery against what is already on the shelf, putting the next-to-use stock at the front, including opened and prepared food, and removing unsuitable stock. It suits fridges, freezers and the dry store.

How to use it

1. Put it up in the dry store or walk-in where deliveries are put away.
2. Compare the dates on each delivery with stock already on the shelf, because a newer delivery can carry an earlier date.
3. Place the earliest dates at the front and keep every label visible.
4. Separate out-of-date, damaged or suspect food, tell the supervisor and record what you did.
5. Order only what you can use within its safe life to cut waste.