In a retail store having a sales area and a back-store area including a storage area, a system for managing produce includes a sensor arrangement for reading distinct identifiers associated with containers passing along a produce transfer path from the back-store area to the sales area. A processing system maintains a database including a record for each container received to the back-store area, each container record including a produce type and freshness data. For each produce type, the system determines at least one container of the given produce type in the back-store area having a shortest salability period as derived from the freshness data, this being designated a priority container, The system monitors whether containers transferred along the produce transfer path correspond to the priority containers. If a container other than a priority container is transferred, at least one enforcement action is actuated.