MJP –
In an effort to decrease food waste, Governor Gavin Newsom signed new legislation into law on September 28 that banned “sell-by” dates, making California the first state to do so.
Standardized language for food labeling is mandated under the law, which is slated to take effect on July 1, 2026, and restricts consumer-facing sell-by dates.
Bills – According TO Assembly
The new rule mandates the inclusion of the phrases “Best if Used By” for peak quality and “Use By” for safety on all food products with a date label, except infant formula, eggs, beer, and malt drinks.
By reducing food waste, this bill (Assembly Bill No. 660) hopes to help customers save money and combat climate change.
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“Display until” and “best before” are two of the many ambiguous words used on food labels because the federal government does not yet mandate their use for anything other than infant formula.
People are frequently led astray by this discrepancy and end up throwing away perfectly good meals. Note that sell-by dates do not indicate real freshness but rather tell store staff when to rotate stock.
By passing this new regulation, the state of California intends to promote more responsible consumption habits among consumers and provide more clarity on date labeling.
