Final answer:
An inventory stocked from the back resembles the Last-In, First-Out (LIFO) cost formula, which assumes the newest inventory items are sold first, similar to how the last stocked items would be first to be taken from the shelves.
Step-by-step explanation:
An inventory of grocery items where the shelves are stocked from the back would be similar to the Last-In, First-Out (LIFO) cost formula. This accounting method assumes that the most recently acquired items are sold first. Thus, the costs of the newest inventory are the first to be recognized in determining cost of goods sold. This practice is like stocking shelves from the back, meaning the last items to go into the inventory are the first to come out. Conversely, if shelves were stocked from the front, this would resemble the First-In, First-Out (FIFO) method, where the costs of the oldest inventory are recognized first.