Stock a shelf with ...

[kachibi]

Is there a verb to refer to the act of putting merchandise onto the shelf? I know "stock" carries a very close meaning but a dictionary says that usually you "stock" a shelf with food products (it does not mention non-food products). So if the things on a shelf are magazines/toys/small electric appliances, can I use "stock"?

[bhaisahab]

Is there a verb to refer to the act of putting merchandise onto the shelf? I know "stock" carries a very close meaning but a dictionary says that usually you "stock" a shelf with food products (it does not mention non-food products). So if the things on a shelf are magazines/toys/small electric appliances, can I use "stock"?

Yes.

[Rover_KE]

People who do this for a living are shelf-stackers.

Rover

[SoothingDave]

People who do this for a living are shelf-stackers.

Rover

They were "stock boys" in AmE. Probably "stockers" now or possibly "inventory control specialists."

[emsr2d2]

As you can see, BrE and AmE have different terms for this. In BrE, "to stack shelves" is the activity and a "shelf-stacker" is the member of staff. It can carry rather negative connotations - "You haven't got a real job. You stack shelves for a living!" The job is sometimes used as evidence that someone is not making the most of their abilities or qualifications - "He's got a degree in Applied Maths but he's stacking shelves in Sainsbury's! What a waste!"

(Sainsbury's is a large chain of supermarkets in the UK.)

[kachibi]

so the verb is "stock" or "stack"? I guess "stock", am I right?

[emsr2d2]

So the verb is "stock" or "stack"? I guess "stock", am I right?

As I started my last reply with the words "As you can see, British English and American English have different terms for this", it should be pretty clear that there isn't one single correct verb.