Avoid Costly Deduction Mistakes: Top Tips for Food Suppliers
- Jon Allen
- 4 days ago
- 1 min read

Every supplier has been there: a deduction shows up, and everyone points fingers—sales blames ops, ops blames finance. Meanwhile, the money’s gone.
Here are the most common mistakes food suppliers make:
Ignoring small deductions – They add up. What looks minor can snowball into six figures.
Missing dispute deadlines – Retailers set strict windows. Wait too long, and it’s game over.
Weak documentation – No proof, no win. Retailers won’t take your word for it.
Assuming deductions are valid – Many aren’t. Don’t just accept them as “the cost of doing business.”
One fictional example: a snack brand wrote off “only” $1,200 a month in deductions, thinking it wasn’t worth the hassle. After a year, they realized they’d lost nearly $15,000—money that could’ve funded their next retailer launch.
Avoid costly mistakes. Woodridge deduction recovery solutions, powered by HRG, help food suppliers recover and prevent deductions—before they crush your margins.