To want my fridge contents in a specific way on specific shelves?

An "equal partner" whose opinion carries as much weight as the OP's. Not more, not less, but equal. It's not like the way OP wants the fridge arranged is axiomatically the One True Way Of Fridge Organisation.

At no point have I said that I think the OP's husband must be obeyed. You made that up. Do you often see things that aren't there?

There’s a specific place for some items in the fridge e.g. raw meat on the lowest shelf, cooked meat above it etc but apart from food hygiene reasons, does it matter?

You do it your way and he does it his way.

We load the dishwasher differently to each other. The person doing the task gets to choose where things go.

If you want it done your way, then do it yourself!

Like you, yoghurt butter etc all together at the top; middle shelves for meat, fish, low shelves for small pots and jars, bottom for veg but fruit will be stored separately - don't like fruit and veg together.

As already mentioned, there is a logic to where stuff goes in a fridge to optimise longevity and avoid poisoning yourself. Check the manual.

I have been on many food hygiene courses your way is right, he is being awkward and obtuse and.a bit immature you might need to explain it to him like a 5 year old!

I am the same OP, it just makes sense to have certain items together. And meat must always go on the bottom shelf!!

Annoyingly I live on my own, so if the tomatoes are next to the jam I only have myself to blame 😩

By looking and checking dates?

How can you find food and not have it go off before eaten, if not organised by group?

I have a mostly empty fridge, I live alone, & I still organise what is in there.

That’s normal isn’t it? We have a system of different shelves for different foodstuffs. I thought everyone did.

I do, and it's the same with the freezer drawers. If I want frozen peas, they are in the third drawer. If I want ice-cream, they are in the bottom drawer. It's just common sense for efficiency.

He’s not asking to be obeyed - only the OP is.

Your fridge will prefer things arranged where it is best depending on the product. So really you both should put things away where they should go depending on the fridge and item you are putting away.
Get your manual out and go through it together.

I guess it comes down to who does most of the cooking, shopping etc and who cleans the fridge when needed.

If it’s nearly all you then you get the casting vote, I’d say. If it’s shared equally (including the thinking and planning) then it’s a discussion. If he’s mostly in charge of these things he can say.

If one person does all this work, it’s not fair for the other to say “oh well it’s my right to make it harder for you, as an equal partner”

It's a fridge, not a storage container.

It's a domestic fridge not a supermarket chilled warehouse. Surely no one's fridge is so vast that they won't find the butter, even if they are a bit tired?

If you are going to be looking for something in a fridge when in a hurry, or when tired, it helps to have a known order.

As said above you’re in a partnership- dh cleans the cupboards every so often and organises the food so it’s easy to see what we’re out of then I get nagged for even pausing to figure out where something new might go! IMO it’s fine to lay down ground rules but have some flexibility- we don’t all think the same!!!

If you want it done a certain way, then do it yourself. You can't dictate that he does it your way, though. He's not a child who has to obey your commands.

Raw stuff should go at the bottom (to reduce cross contamination risk), anything else is personal preference and your way is no more right than your husbands.

I like certain things on certain shelves so things like meat and yoghurt are lower down as the temperature is cooler so keeps them fresher/ safer better. DH is of the chuck it anywhere variety! It’s usually only me putting food away as I do the shopping but on the occasions he is there I’ll either say I’ll do the fridge stuff and you do the freezer or just rearrange it later!
I often end up rearranging the dishwasher too!! 😱

I know of if I lived alone my fridge would be like this, but I live with DH and two DC. There is general order to the fridge but I’m not militant, although raw meat must always be on the bottom shelf and I put yoghurts all together with closest use by dates at the front….
I also have my spice rack alphabetised

This is a strange reply, OP is suggesting that she herself should be Master with no debate.

I agree with @GasperyJacquesRoberts
There are plenty of MNers who believe everything should be done their way. The key thing is equality in any partnership.

You literally are meant to put things in specific places to avoid cross contamination and for temperature, my DP puts things in odd places and I just move them. Don't get me started on how he loads the dishwasher though!