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Run: Grocery Section Rotation and Dating Audit

Audit grocery shelf rotation, date codes, out-of-code pulls, and shrink logging in one walk-through. Use it to catch FIFO misses, prevent expired product on ...

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Audit Setup and Inspector Information

Audit date and time

Record the date and time the audit begins.

Inspector name and role

Enter the full name and job title of the person conducting this audit.

Department or section being audited

Select the primary grocery section covered by this audit.

Last audit date for this section

Enter the date of the most recent prior audit for reference.

FIFO Rotation Compliance

Shelf facings are rotated FIFO — older product is at the front, newer product behind critical (required)

Physically check a minimum of 10 shelf facings across the section. Confirm oldest code dates are at the front of each facing.

Yes No N/A

Photo evidence (optional)

Back-stock and overstock are organized with oldest product accessible for rotation first

Inspect back-stock shelves, pallets, or storage areas. Older-dated cases must be positioned for first pull.

Yes No N/A

End-cap and promotional displays follow FIFO rotation

Check all active end-caps and clip strips in the section. Promotional placement does not exempt product from FIFO requirements.

Yes No N/A

Number of FIFO violations observed (facings out of rotation order)

Count and record the total number of individual facings found out of FIFO order during this audit.

Product Dating Accuracy

All date codes (sell-by, best-by, use-by) on shelf product are legible and unobstructed critical (required)

Inspect a representative sample of product. Date codes must not be smudged, covered by labels, or otherwise unreadable.

Yes No N/A

Date codes on shelf product match the date codes on corresponding back-stock cases

Cross-check shelf product dates against case dates for at least 5 SKUs. Discrepancies may indicate mislabeling or rotation errors.

Yes No N/A

Prepared or repackaged items (e.g., bulk, store-cut) display store-applied date labels per FDA Food Code 2022 §3-602.11 critical (required)

If applicable to this section, verify all store-packaged consumables carry a legible store-applied label with pack date and sell-by date.

Yes No N/A

Out-of-Code and Expired Product Removal

No out-of-code or expired product is present on the sales floor critical (required)

Conduct a date sweep of the section. Any product at or past its sell-by / use-by date must be pulled immediately. This is a critical food safety item.

Yes No N/A

Photo evidence (optional)

Number of out-of-code units found and pulled during this audit

Record the total count of expired or out-of-code units removed from the sales floor or back stock during this inspection.

Out-of-code product is segregated and clearly marked 'Do Not Sell' pending disposition critical (required)

Verify that any pulled product is physically separated from sellable inventory and labeled to prevent accidental return to shelf.

Yes No N/A

Short-dated product (within 3 days of code date) is identified and actioned (markdown, move-to-front, or pull schedule set)

Confirm that product approaching code date has been flagged and an action plan is in place per store markdown or pull SOP.

Yes No N/A

Shrink Documentation and Disposition

All out-of-code and damaged product removed today has been entered into the shrink/waste log

Review the department shrink log or POS shrink entry. Every pulled unit must be accounted for to maintain accurate inventory and loss records.

Yes No N/A

Shrink log entries include SKU/UPC, quantity, reason code, and associate ID

Spot-check at least 5 recent shrink entries for completeness. Incomplete entries are a non-conformance under inventory control policy.

Yes No N/A

Disposition of pulled product is documented (donated, discarded, returned to vendor)

Confirm that the final disposition of all pulled product is recorded. Donation must comply with applicable local food bank and liability policies.

Yes No N/A

Overall Section Condition and Sign-Off

Overall section rotation and dating compliance rating

Rate the overall compliance level of this section based on findings above.

Corrective actions identified during this audit

List all corrective actions required, the responsible associate, and the target completion date/time.

Inspector signature

Inspector signature confirms findings are accurate and corrective actions have been communicated to department management.

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