A retailer claim is an assertion.
First: is it supported by the document trail? Second: is it even permitted under the Food and Grocery Code? Not every deduction is wrong. The money sits in the claims that fail one of those tests.
FMCG Claims Checklist
20 Supermarket Claim Types Worth Checking Before They Age Out
Use this against one recent remittance advice, debit note, or portal claim. The goal is simple: decide which claims are supported, missing proof, worth querying, or Code-sensitive.
Claim ledger
The 20 claim types to check.
Pull the evidence first. Then decide whether the line is supportable, missing proof, worth querying, or sensitive under the Code.
Scroll table sideways
| Claim type | What to check | Evidence to pull |
|---|---|---|
| 01Short-delivery / shortfall | Did fewer units arrive than you billed? A shortfall claim must be made within 30 days of delivery. | Signed POD, delivery docket, ASN, invoice, retailer received quantity |
| 02Carton or unit count variance | Did the claim use the wrong pack size, carton count, or unit conversion? | PO, invoice line detail, master data, delivery docket |
| 03DIFOT penalty | Did you actually deliver late or incomplete on the agreed measure? | ASN, booked delivery window, gate or dock timestamp, POD, retailer DIFOT scorecard |
| 04Damaged goods | Did goods arrive damaged, or did the claim appear after clean delivery? Damaged-goods claims must be made within 30 days of delivery. | POD condition notes, photos, carrier report, warehouse notes |
| 05Wastage charge | Code-conditionalChargeable only if expressly agreed in the supply agreement, reasonable in amount, with a stated calculation method, and the retailer took steps to reduce the cost. | Supply agreement wastage clause, claim basis, calculation, batch or lot evidence |
| 06Shrinkage charge | Red flagUnder the Code a large grocery business cannot require a supplier to pay for shrinkage after the retailer takes possession. | Claim reason code, supply agreement, remittance line |
| 07Overpricing / price discrepancy | Did the invoice price differ from the agreed price? | PO, agreed price list, invoice, effective-date evidence |
| 08Retro price adjustment | Did the retailer apply a later price to an earlier invoice? | Price change notice, effective date, PO date, invoice date |
| 09Promo funding claim | Does the deduction match the agreed promo amount and cap? | Signed promo agreement, funding cap, mechanic, claim amount |
| 10Promo date mismatch | Was the claim tied to sales outside the agreed promo window? | Promo agreement start and end dates, scan or sell-through report |
| 11Promo scope mismatch | Did the claim include stores, SKUs, banners, or quantities outside the deal? | Promo agreement, SKU list, store scope, order data |
| 12Scan deal or rebate | Does the claimed rate match the agreed rate and the actual eligible volume? | Scan or rebate agreement, sales report, rate card, eligible volume |
| 13Markdown or clearance funding | Does the markdown or clearance deduction match what was agreed, for the right units and period? | Markdown agreement, units, period, claim basis, sell-through |
| 14Retail media or activity charge | Was the activity agreed, delivered, and charged at the agreed amount? | Booking confirmation, activity proof, agreement, invoice or debit note |
| 15Listing, ranging or new-line fee | Code-conditionalPayments for shelf space or positioning need express written agreement and a reasonable amount. | Trading terms, listing or ranging agreement, SKU evidence, claim note |
| 16ASN, EDI or barcode compliance charge | Was the ASN, barcode, label, or EDI file actually missing or wrong? | ASN log, EDI acknowledgement, label proof, warehouse receipt |
| 17Pallet or packaging charge | Did the pallet, packaging, or handling charge match the agreed basis and transfer records? | Pallet transfer records, CHEP or Loscam statements, supply agreement, delivery docket |
| 18Freight or transport deduction | Was the freight deduction allowed, calculated correctly, and tied to the right shipment? | Freight terms, carrier invoice, PO, delivery evidence |
| 19Duplicate or already-credited claim | Has the same claim already been deducted, set off, or credited? | Prior remittance, debit note, credit note, claim ID, invoice history |
| 20Post-audit claim | Does a historic claim match the original agreement and transaction trail? | Original PO, invoice, price list, promo agreement, prior remittance |
Some claims need more than proof.
A claim can fail because the evidence is missing, but it can also fail because the Code limits what the retailer can charge back.
Source: ACCC Food and Grocery Code guidance. Evidence checklist only. Not legal advice.
Set-offs against your invoices need written consent, or the supply agreement allowing it and a reasonable amount.
Shrinkage after the retailer takes possession cannot be charged back to a supplier.
Wastage needs express agreement, a reasonable amount, a stated calculation, and retailer cost mitigation.
Shelf space or listing payments need express written agreement and a reasonable amount.
Damaged-goods and shortfall claims must be made no later than 30 days after delivery.
Payment is due within a reasonable time after invoice, per the agreed timeframe.
Fast triage
Turn a remittance line into a decision.
Assertion
What is the retailer claiming: claim ID, invoice, amount, reason code, and date?
Test
What proves or disproves it, and is the claim permitted under the Code?
Deadline
How many days are left before the claim becomes harder to challenge?
Send one redacted remittance.
We mark each line as supportable, missing proof, worth challenging, or Code-sensitive. You get a one-page evidence teardown back.
Want a second set of eyes?
Claims Desk reviews one redacted remittance and marks each line as supportable, missing proof, or worth challenging. Evidence checklist only. Not legal advice.
Get a free claims teardown