How do I check a janitorial distributor’s warehouse inventory for expired stock?

A stock list is a claim, and the shelves are the evidence. Pick a sample of products from the list and find them in the warehouse. Check labels for dates or batch codes, look for swollen, leaking or discoloured containers, and notice anything with a faded or missing label. Chemicals that have separated or sat in heat can be unsaleable. Paper goods may suffer from damp or dust. Ask about dangerous goods, safety sheets and storage, and what your insurer would expect.

Then look at the system. Does the shop rotate older stock forward? Are slow movers flagged? Ask for sales history by item, so you can see which products sit for a long time. Ask what the seller has written off in the past and how returns to suppliers are handled.

Finally, agree on how stock will be counted at closing, who attends, and how expired or damaged items are excluded. Your accountant and lawyer can help set rules in the agreement. Photograph what you find and keep notes, so you can refer to them later. Ask also whether the shop sells near-date goods at a discount and how that shows up in the sales figures, so you can see the true margin.

Key takeaways

• Match a sample from the stock list to the shelves and read the labels.
• Ask how old stock is rotated, written off or returned.
• Agree on a closing stock count that excludes expired or damaged items.