UNFI deduction type
Manufacturer chargebacks & off-invoice
Promotional discounts and trade programs UNFI funds and bills back to you — MCBs and off-invoice deals, verified against MCB backup you can request by email.
OverDeduct Deduction Recovery Team · Deduction recovery specialists working with 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.
What is a manufacturer chargebacks & off-invoice?
UNFI charges manufacturer chargebacks (MCBs), off-invoice discounts and other promotional deductions tied to trade programs you agreed to fund.
These pass through on your remittance and cover scans, promotional discounts, sales-velocity report fees and program-based charges.
Why does it happen?
- A promotion or program you approved is being billed back as agreed.
- A deal was applied to the wrong SKUs, dates, or at the wrong rate.
- The program was billed twice, or claimed with no authorization on file.
Is it disputable?
Partly. Valid, authorized programs are legitimate; duplicates, off-window claims and unauthorized deductions are recoverable. The key is matching each MCB to an approved deal — and getting the backup UNFI provides on request.
UNFI specifics: fees and timing
UNFI MCB backup documents can be requested by emailing [email protected]; they're typically sent on a weekly cadence with supporting detail for a wide range of deductions. One recipient per supplier account.
Backup you'll need to win it
- The signed promotion / deal authorization with SKUs, dates and rates
- Your trade calendar for the period
- UNFI MCB backup (request via [email protected])
You dispute UNFI deductions in the UNFI Dispute Center, inside the UNFI supplier portal. See the step-by-step dispute guide and check the UNFI dispute window before you file — miss it and even a valid claim is lost.
See how many mcb charges are in your actual file: upload a UNFI remittance to the free deduction recovery analyzer and it will flag the disputable lines and estimate what's recoverable.
Recover what's yours
Find every disputable mcb deduction in your file
Upload a UNFI remittance and we'll flag the recoverable lines and estimate what you're owed — free, in seconds.
Analyze your UNFI remittance →Frequently asked questions
How do I get UNFI MCB backup?
Email [email protected] to be set up to receive MCB documents. They're sent weekly and include supporting detail for a wide range of deductions — essential for reconciling what you actually approved.
When is a UNFI MCB deduction invalid?
When it's billed twice, applied outside the agreed dates or to the wrong SKUs, or claimed with no authorization on file. Matching each MCB to an approved deal — using the backup — is how you find these.
Related UNFI deductions
- UNFI pricing deductionsShort-pays where UNFI paid a different cost than you invoiced, or applied a deal you didn't agree to — among the most recoverable UNFI deduction types.
- UNFI new-item fees deductionsLaunch fees charged per SKU for each new distribution center — about $500 per SKU per DC (or ~$1,200 without UNFI's advertising agreement) — plus free-fill requirements.
- UNFI shortage deductionsUNFI deducts for units it says it never received, or received against the wrong PO — a factual dispute that makes shortages the most recoverable UNFI deduction type.