<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<p>Food waste is a global problem with 5% of the European Union's (EU's) retail sector responsible. The reasons cited for food waste at retail level among others: undesirable customer behaviour, inadequate packaging, irregular demand, overestimated deliveries, small store area and warehouse space, inappropriate replenishment policies in shops and increased product quality requirements. The requirement to keep shelves full in stores and inappropriate storage logistics lead to overstocking of products, the arrangement of which disregards the first in-first out (FIFO) principle. It contributes to the amplification of food take-offs and may lead to the occurrence of products with exceeded use-by dates, which is the most common cause of food wastage [Federacja Polskich Banków Żywności 2020]. The aim of the study was to evaluate the functioning of the FIFO system in specialist stores, discount stores and large-format stores that have organic food on offer. To evaluate the FIFO system, unannounced inspections were conducted in the stores. During the inspections, errors in the arrangement of products according to the FIFO system were detected. The items found to be out of order were both long and short-dated products, stored in refrigerated as well as on regular shelves, indicating that stores have a problem with storage logistics in all departments. Improving solutions and implementing appropriate measures in this area could reduce food wastage at the retail level.</p>
</abstract>

Food waste is a global problem with 5% of the European Union's (EU's) retail sector responsible. The reasons cited for food waste at retail level among others: undesirable customer behaviour, inadequate packaging, irregular demand, overestimated deliveries, small store area and warehouse space, inappropriate replenishment policies in shops and increased product quality requirements. The requirement to keep shelves full in stores and inappropriate storage logistics lead to overstocking of products, the arrangement of which disregards the first in-first out (FIFO) principle. It contributes to the amplification of food take-offs and may lead to the occurrence of products with exceeded use-by dates, which is the most common cause of food wastage [Federacja Polskich Banków Żywności 2020]. The aim of the study was to evaluate the functioning of the FIFO system in specialist stores, discount stores and large-format stores that have organic food on offer. To evaluate the FIFO system, unannounced inspections were conducted in the stores. During the inspections, errors in the arrangement of products according to the FIFO system were detected. The items found to be out of order were both long and short-dated products, stored in refrigerated as well as on regular shelves, indicating that stores have a problem with storage logistics in all departments. Improving solutions and implementing appropriate measures in this area could reduce food wastage at the retail level.

Assessment of the Impact of the Functioning of the FIFO on the Occurrence of Organic Products with an Exceeded Use-By Date

Departament of Functional and Organic Food, Faculty of Human Nutrition

Environmental Protection and Natural Resources

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Food waste is a global problem with 5% of the European Union's (EU's) retail sector responsible. The reasons cited for food waste at retail level among others:...

Assessment of the Impact of the Functioning of the FIFO on the Occurrence of Organic Products with an Exceeded Use-By Date

Published Online: Sep 30, 2021

Page range: 29 - 36

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/oszn-2021-0012

Keywords
FIFO, organic food, food waste, food storage logistics, food retail

© 2021 Małgorzata Pikora et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Assessment of the Impact of the Functioning of the FIFO on the Occurrence of Organic Products with an Exceeded Use-By Date

Published Online: Sep 30, 2021

Page range: 29 - 36

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/oszn-2021-0012

KeywordsFIFO, organic food, food waste, food storage logistics, food retail

© 2021 Małgorzata Pikora et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Keywords
FIFO, organic food, food waste, food storage logistics, food retail