Expired stock is money thrown away. FEFO is a simple rule that helps pharmacies sell medicines before they expire.
What is FEFO?
FEFO means First Expiry, First Out. When you have more than one batch of the same medicine, you sell the batch that expires first — even if it arrived later. It is different from FIFO (First In, First Out), which sells the oldest delivery first. For medicines, the expiry date matters more than the delivery date.
Why expiry losses happen
- New stock is placed at the front, pushing older batches to the back.
- Expiry dates are printed small and are rarely checked on every box.
- Slow-moving medicines are forgotten until they have already expired.
Simple habits that help
- Place the shortest-dated batch at the front of the shelf.
- Check slow-moving items once a month.
- Ask distributors about returns or exchanges for near-expiry stock early, not after expiry.
- Keep expired stock on a separate, clearly marked shelf so it is never sold.
Let alerts do the remembering
PharmaPilot AI tracks every batch separately and alerts you at 180, 90, 60 and 30 days before expiry, then tells you which batch to sell first. Expired stock is blocked from sale suggestions. You can check any box's expiry date with the free medicine scanner.
This article is general business guidance, not medical advice.