Pharmacy stock control in Kenya: cut expiry losses and never run out
ShelfWise ·
In a pharmacy, stock loses value on a date. Medicine that expires on the shelf is pure loss, and running out of a fast mover sends customers to the chemist next door. Good stock control fixes both.
1. Record expiry dates when stock arrives
Expiry dates only help if they're written down. Record them when you receive a delivery, not when you remember. A list of what expires in the next 30 days is the single most useful report a pharmacy can have.
2. First expiry, first out
Put new stock behind old stock on the shelf, so the earliest expiry sells first. Train every counter attendant to pick from the front.
3. Act on expiring stock early
- Check the 'expiring within 30 days' list every week.
- Move short-dated stock to the front and recommend it first.
- Ask your supplier early whether they take back short-dated items. Many only accept returns before the date.
- Record anything that does expire as a loss, so your stock and profit stay true.
4. Reorder from real sales, not memory
Set a reorder level for each product: the amount that lasts until the next delivery arrives. When stock falls to that level, order. Round orders to the supplier's pack size, and order slow movers in small amounts so they don't expire before they sell.
5. Watch the high-value and high-risk items
Count expensive medicines and items that are easy to pocket every week. A difference shows up while you still know who was on duty. Our guide on stopping stock loss covers the habits that help.
6. Sell fast at the counter
Queues lose customers. Scanning barcodes, or searching by name when there's no barcode, is faster and more accurate than writing sales down, and stock goes down with each sale.
7. Agrovets: plan for the season
Seeds, fertiliser and chemicals sell in seasons. Order ahead of planting and spraying seasons, allowing for longer supplier lead times, and sell in the units customers buy: bags, litres, kilos.
Common questions
How do pharmacies reduce expired stock?
Record expiry dates on arrival, sell the earliest expiry first, check a 30-day expiry list weekly, order slow movers in small amounts, and return short-dated stock to suppliers early where they accept it.
What is a reorder level?
The amount of stock that lasts until your next delivery arrives. When stock falls to it, you order.
Does ShelfWise track medicine batches?
Not yet. Each product has one expiry date today.
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