What is the fastest way to reduce inventory loss this month?
Start with near-term expiry clusters and high-value lines. Run a weekly action list with owners for transfer, markdown, supplier return, or disposal evidence.
Cluster hub
Inventory Loss
Root causes of loss, shrink, dead stock, and write-off discipline.
Pillar page
The Top 5 Causes of Inventory Loss in FMCG
Spoilage, theft, data drift, supplier variability, and bad planning — why margin leaks and how operators close the gaps before audit season.
Spoke articles
- Shrinkage: Theft, Damage, and the Quiet Cost of Bad Data
Separate honest handling loss from process gaps. Build variance codes so purchasing and ops each own a lever.
- How to Flag Dead Stock Before It Owns Your Shelves
Aging thresholds, velocity tiers, and the meeting rhythm that turns “we should” into markdown, transfer, or supplier return.
- Aging Reports: Turn Lists Into Actions, Not Anxiety
Buckets, owners, and weekly triage so aging dashboards drive markdowns and supplier talks — not shelf decoration.
- Slow Movers and Obsolescence: Early Warnings Operators Miss
Velocity decay, shelf life, and category-specific triggers — catching SLOB before it hardens into write-offs.
- Planning for Obsolescence Before Marketing Moves On
Lifecycle gates, last-buy discipline, and paired introduction/exit reviews for packaging and SKU changes.
- Disposal, Donation, and Write-Off Trails That Stand Up to Scrutiny
Approvals, evidence, and inventory system entries that connect shrink events to policy — not to mystery.
- Inventory Turnover and Days on Hand: Read the Signals, Not Just the Ratio
High turnover can hide stock-outs; low turnover can hide margin. Pair velocity with service, margin, and expiry risk.
- Returns and Reverse Logistics: Keep Inventory Honest
Quarantine paths, grading, and fast disposition — so returns don’t silently re-enter sellable stock as “maybe fine.”
- Inventory and Working Capital: Speak the CFO’s Language
Cash conversion, carrying cost, and the inventory levers that show up in board slides — not only in the stockroom.
Cluster FAQ
Which KPIs prove loss is improving?
Track write-off value, shrink by reason code, aged stock value, and FEFO compliance in one dashboard so one metric cannot hide regressions.