UNFI deduction key
UNFI deduction key: every code explained
UNFI Natural writes the deduction type into the document number (MCB20260502 is a weekly MCB, LCBOL… a BOL fine, an invoice with -111 a chargeback); UNFI Conventional uses three-letter codes. Here is what each one means, whether it's disputable, and where it's filed.
Mihir Naik · Founder, OverDeduct — deduction recovery for emerging & mid-market CPG brands
Last reviewed: August 4, 2026
Educational content — not legal, tax, or accounting advice. Verify deadlines and fee details against your current distributor agreement before disputing.
17 of 17 codes
| Code | What it is | Category | Customer |
|---|---|---|---|
| (invoice#)29CM | Manufacturer chargeback (MCB) pass-through tied to an invoice — a promotion or program billed back to you. | MCB & free-fill deductions | — |
| MCB Free Fill | Free-goods (free-fill) requirement billed back as a manufacturer chargeback, commonly at item launch. | MCB & free-fill deductions | — |
| ACPTO | Accepted-promotion chargeback — a promotional deduction passed through on the remittance. | MCB & free-fill deductions | — |
| (invoice#)SCAN | Scan-based promotional deduction billed back against the referenced invoice. | MCB & free-fill deductions | — |
| (invoice#)AHOLD | Ahold-originated charge passed through on your UNFI remittance; authorization lives in Ahold's program. | 3rd-party billing (pass-through) deductions | Ahold |
| (invoice#)FOODLION | Food Lion-originated charge passed through by UNFI; reconcile against Food Lion's deal. | 3rd-party billing (pass-through) deductions | Food Lion |
| (invoice#)BIGY | Big Y-originated charge passed through by UNFI; verify against Big Y's program. | 3rd-party billing (pass-through) deductions | Big Y |
| (invoice#)DEMOULAS | Demoulas (Market Basket)-originated charge passed through by UNFI. | 3rd-party billing (pass-through) deductions | Demoulas |
| (invoice#)HAGGEN | Haggen-originated charge passed through by UNFI. | 3rd-party billing (pass-through) deductions | Haggen |
| RECALL | Recall cost charged back for pulling affected product from UNFI's network, plus handling. | Recall & withdrawal deductions | — |
| WITHDRAWAL | Market-withdrawal charge for removing product from distribution outside a formal recall. | Recall & withdrawal deductions | — |
| W&M FINE | Weights-and-measures fine for a shipment failing a measurable conformance check. | Compliance & Weights-and-Measures fines | — |
| ASN COMPLIANCE | ASN/EDI accuracy fine for a missing or inaccurate advance ship notice. | Compliance & Weights-and-Measures fines | — |
| ROUTING FINE | Routing-compliance fine for shipping outside UNFI's routing requirements. | Compliance & Weights-and-Measures fines | — |
| LABEL FINE | Labeling-compliance fine for pallet or case labeling that fails requirements. | Compliance & Weights-and-Measures fines | — |
| AAA DUES | Annual Advertising Agreement (AAA) dues billed periodically to enrolled suppliers. | Advertising & ad-billing deductions | — |
| AD BILLING | Feature or ad-program charge for promotional placement. | Advertising & ad-billing deductions | — |
UNFI Natural: how to read a deduction number
What the UNFI Dispute Center analyzer decodes on remittances, Dispute Center exports and Debit Balance lists. In the Dispute Center, an adjustment numbered <n>-0-East or -West is a deduction; <n>-111-East or -West is an invoice chargeback. Most are filed in the Dispute Center; the notes say where not.
| Code | What it is | Source |
|---|---|---|
| <invoice #> + -111 | Invoice chargeback (-111): a shortage, mis-ship, damage at receipt or price difference on your invoice | Dispute Center manual |
| …PB, …DM, …CBPB | Repayment of a disputed deduction (payback) | UNFI Deduction Key (via SPS) |
| …PP | Prepayment, or its reversal: nets to zero with its pairEmail [email protected], not the Dispute Center | UNFI Deduction Key (via SPS) |
| MCB<YYYYMMDD> | Weekly MCB (West): promotion chargeback, ad / published deal / EDLP | Glimpse |
| MCB<YYYYMMDD> | Weekly MCB (West): promotion chargeback for the week ending on the date in the number | Real UNFI files |
| SECMQ<MMDDYY>…, CMQ<MMYY>… | Quality chargeback (CMQ): product UNFI's customers reclaimed as unsaleable | Real UNFI files |
| WE<MMDDYY><vendor #> | Weekly MCB (East): promotion chargeback for the week ending on the date in the number | Real UNFI files |
| SO<MMDDYY>… | Show-order MCB: show deal chargeback | Real UNFI files |
| SE<MMDDYY>… | Special-event MCB (East)Seen in real files; UNFI hasn't published its meaning. | Real UNFI files |
| <DC>OVP… | Overpull MCB: promotion billed on more cases than the deal covered | Real UNFI files |
| UOI<MMYY> | Off-invoice promotion audit billback (East) | Glimpse |
| CMQUNB<invoice #> | Unbilled quality recall | UNFI Deduction Key (via SPS) |
| SECMQ<MMDDYY>…, CMQ<MMYY>… | Quality chargeback (reclaim) | UNFI Deduction Key (via SPS) |
| 29CM…, PCM…, FNCM… | Recall disposal fee | UNFI Deduction Key (via SPS) |
| <DC>CNDM<MMMYY> | Concealed damage found after receipt, by DC | Glimpse |
| LCBOL<PO #> | Fine: missing or incorrect BOL / packing slip | UNFI Deduction Key (via SPS) |
| LCPV<PO #> | Fine: pallet construction | UNFI Deduction Key (via SPS) |
| LCBC<PO #> | Fine: barcode | UNFI Deduction Key (via SPS) |
| LCP<PO #> | Fine: pallet label | UNFI Deduction Key (via SPS) |
| LCF<PO #> | Fine: load securement | UNFI Deduction Key (via SPS) |
| LCO<PO #> | Fine: missing or unreadable UPC | UNFI Deduction Key (via SPS) |
| AVNCNS<PO #> | Appointment fine: no-call no-show ($500) | UNFI Deduction Key (via SPS) |
| AVL<PO #> | Appointment fine: 30+ minutes late ($250) | UNFI Deduction Key (via SPS) |
| AVR<PO #> | Appointment fine: rescheduled under 24 hours ($300) | UNFI Deduction Key (via SPS) |
| ERSLSBYS<MMYY>… | Sales velocity report-by-state fee | UNFI Deduction Key (via SPS) |
| WRSLOFE / ERSLOFE<MMYY><vendor #> | Slotting: new item, pack change or reactivation | UNFI Deduction Key (via SPS) |
| WRDTCE / ERDTCE<MMYY><vendor #> | Regional program charge, billed beside advertising (meaning unconfirmed)Seen in real files; UNFI hasn't published its meaning. | Real UNFI files |
| WRDC / ERDC<MMYY><vendor #> | Advertising (regional ad program) | Real UNFI files |
| WRTTS / ERTTS<MMYY><vendor #> | Trade show sales: show deals billed back | Real UNFI files |
| FBB<MMYY>WK<vendor #> | Freight billback | Real UNFI files |
| <9 digits>PTY<RETAILER>, RALEYS… | Third-party (retailer) charge passed through | Real UNFI files |
| SAS… / SASW… | Post audit by SAS Recovery (third-party auditor)Dispute with the audit firm (SAS Recovery), not the Dispute Center | Real UNFI files |
| <invoice #>CV | ClearVue allowance not taken on the invoice | UNFI Deduction Key (via SPS) |
| <invoice #>SP | Spoilage allowance omission: the spoils allowance (a % of this invoice) not taken off it | UNFI Deduction Key (via SPS) |
| <invoice #>SSA, SSAE… / SSAW… | Simplified Supplier Approach (SSA) fee: monthly, per region (2.5% of the month's purchases) | Glimpse |
| <invoice #>SSA, SSAE… / SSAW… | Simplified Supplier Approach (SSA) fee not taken off this invoice (a % of it; 2.5% since 2025) | Glimpse |
UNFI Conventional: three-letter codes
Used on UNFI Conventional's side (ePASS on SV Harbor, the former SUPERVALU business). Conventional deductions are disputed by opening a pass in ePASS; the UNFI ePASS analyzer reads the deduction documents and payment statements.
| Code | What it is | Source |
|---|---|---|
| BB6 | Billback: Shoppers retail DSD | SPS Commerce (July 2025) |
| BBT | Billback: Cub retail DSD | SPS Commerce (July 2025) |
| CCS | Chargeback | SPS Commerce (July 2025) |
| CPI | Coupons | SPS Commerce (July 2025) |
| CPN | Coupons | SPS Commerce (July 2025) |
| DIR | Payment made on your behalf to an independent retailer | SPS Commerce (July 2025) |
| DIV | Customer service, damage reclamation and returns | SPS Commerce (July 2025) |
| FBB | Freight billback | SPS Commerce (July 2025) |
| HCG | Cost of goods | SPS Commerce (July 2025) |
| MER | Miscellaneous | SPS Commerce (July 2025) |
| WRM | Miscellaneous | SPS Commerce (July 2025) |
| PLR | Homestore reset | SPS Commerce (July 2025) |
| PMD | Promotions, floorstock or price decline | SPS Commerce (July 2025) |
| DEX | Promotions, floorstock or price decline | SPS Commerce (July 2025) |
| SBT | Promotions, floorstock or price decline | SPS Commerce (July 2025) |
| PRM | Promotions, floorstock or price decline | SPS Commerce (July 2025) |
| PME | EDI invoice paymentA payment code: how a line was paid, not why money was taken. | SPS Commerce (July 2025) |
| PMT | Manual invoice paymentA payment code: how a line was paid, not why money was taken. | SPS Commerce (July 2025) |
| SAS | Post audit (SAS Recovery)Disputed with the audit firm, not in ePASS. | SPS Commerce (July 2025) |
| PRG | Post audit (PRGX)Disputed with the audit firm, not in ePASS. | SPS Commerce (July 2025) |
| SVI | International | SPS Commerce (July 2025) |
| SWL | Swell allowance (non-EDI suppliers) | SPS Commerce (July 2025) |
| SXP | AdMax (advertising) | SPS Commerce (July 2025) |
Browse UNFI codes by category
3rd-party billing (pass-through) deductions
A 3rd-party billing deduction is a charge that originates with an end retailer — not UNFI — and is passed through to you on your UNFI remittance, usually coded with the invoice number plus a customer marker. You typically verify and dispute it against the originating retailer's program, not UNFI.
MCB & free-fill deductions
MCB (manufacturer chargeback) and free-fill codes bill back promotions, scans and free-goods requirements you agreed to fund. Valid, authorized programs are legitimate; duplicates, off-window claims and unauthorized deductions are recoverable when each MCB is matched to an approved deal.
Recall & withdrawal deductions
Recall and withdrawal codes charge back the cost of pulling affected product from UNFI's network, plus handling. When the recall is genuinely yours the core cost is usually valid; the disputable part is scope — quantities, SKUs, dates and handling rates beyond what the recall actually covered.
Compliance & Weights-and-Measures fines
Compliance codes fine suppliers for shipping, labeling, pallet, ASN/EDI, or weights-and-measures violations against UNFI's routing and vendor requirements. Fines for genuine violations are usually valid; those applied in error, duplicated, or for requirements you demonstrably met are recoverable.
Advertising & ad-billing deductions
Advertising codes bill back ad, feature and program fees — including dues tied to UNFI's Annual Advertising Agreement (AAA). Fees for programs you enrolled in are contractual; charges outside the agreement, duplicated, or at the wrong rate are recoverable when reconciled to your AAA terms.
Looking across distributors? See the full deduction code library or the KeHE code library.
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