In industries like FMCG, tobacco, packaged foods, cosmetics, beverages, and other fast-moving goods, shelf life management is not just a compliance requirement, it’s a core operational necessity.

Products are time-sensitive. Regulations are strict. And customer expectations leave no room for error.

A distributor in this sector approached us with a familiar problem:

“We need a reliable way to automate product shelf life management in Odoo, so every incoming stock gets the correct expiration date.”

If your business deals with products that expire, degrade in quality, or require FEFO handling, this guide will help you understand how Odoo can be configured for smarter shelf life inventory management.

Why Shelf Life Becomes a Pain for Large Distributors?

Managing product validity manually quickly becomes unmanageable, especially when handling thousands of SKUs.

Common challenges include:

Variations in shelf life depending on supplier or lot
Manual calculation of expiry dates
Inconsistent date formats on packaging
Missing traceability during audits
Difficulty following FEFO principles
Increased write-offs due to poor visibility

This is where robust product shelf life management inside Odoo becomes essential.

Odoo for Distributors in FMCG Industry>>

Introducing a Smart Shelf Life Traceability System Inside Odoo

To solve these challenges, we implemented a flexible, automated shelf life management setup. It ensures every product has:

Accurate shelf life configuration
Automated expiry date calculation
Consistent tracking across warehouse operations

Step 1: Configuring Shelf Life at the Product Level

Inside Odoo’s Product → Inventory tab, we added a dedicated section called: Shelf Life Traceability

It includes:

Shelf Life (checkbox)
Shelf Life Date (numeric)
Expiration Time (Days / Months / Years)

These fields allow teams to easily configure shelf life rules for every item, creating a strong foundation for product shelf life management.

Manage Expiration Date in Odoo>>

Real Example 1: Packaged Foods

A soup mix has a 12-month shelf life from the date it is received.

Configuration:

Shelf Life Date: 12
Expiration Time: Months

Stock received on 10 March 2024 →
Expiry auto-calculates as 10 March 2025.

This makes shelf life inventory management effortless and consistent.

Real Example 2: Cosmetics With Long Durability

A face cream may last 2 years after warehouse receipt.

Configuration:

Shelf Life Date: 2
Expiration Time: Years

If added on 5 June 2024, Odoo calculates expiry as 5 June 2026.

Real Example 3: Tobacco Products (Compliance Sensitive)

Certain tobacco items must be sold within 18 months of receiving the lot.

Configuration:

Shelf Life Date: 18
Expiration Time: Months

Stock received on 1 January 2024 expires on 1 July 2025.

This improves regulatory reliability and strengthens shelf life inventory management.

Step 2: Automatic Expiration Date Assignment During Stock Entry

When stock is:

Received from a vendor
Manufactured
Adjusted
Moved into a new location

Odoo automatically:

Reads the product’s shelf life rules
Calculates the correct expiration date
Assigns it to the incoming batch or lot

This ensures consistency, traceability, and efficient shelf life management across the warehouse.

Step 3: Updating Shelf Life Rules as Business Conditions Change

Rules for specific conditions:

A supplier changes formulation
A product starts containing preservatives
Regulations change

So we created a feature- “Update Existing Stock Expiration Date”, which when clicked:

Odoo recalculates expiry dates for all existing stock
Based on the new rules

This is crucial for businesses performing dynamic product shelf life management.

How This System Strengthens Shelf Life Inventory Management

Businesses benefit through:

✔ Zero manual expiry calculations
✔ Reduced write-offs
✔ Accurate FEFO picking
✔ Stronger compliance during audits
✔ Better stock rotation decisions
✔ Correct expiry tracking at lot level

Whether it’s foods, cosmetics, tobacco, or beverages, proper shelf life management ensures products move out at the right time and with the right visibility.

Who Can Benefit from This Setup?