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California bans consumer-facing 'sell by' food labels under new law aimed at reducing waste
Fox Business • • business
Key Points:
- California's new standardized food date-labeling law, effective July 1, 2026, mandates that food manufacturers use uniform phrases like "BEST if Used by" for quality and "USE by" for safety, while banning consumer-facing "sell by" labels.
- The law aims to reduce consumer confusion and unnecessary food waste by replacing over 50 different date-label phrases currently in use, which often lead to premature disposal of safe food.
- California residents discard the equivalent of 2.5 billion meals of unspoiled food annually, contributing significantly to landfill waste and methane emissions, highlighting the environmental motivation behind the legislation.
- The law does not require date labels on all products, only standardizes wording when labels are used, and exempts items such as infant formula, eggs, and beer; grocery stores can still use "packed on" labels for prepared foods alongside the new labels.
- Signed by Governor Gavin Newsom in September 2024, California becomes the first state to implement standardized consumer-facing food date labels, promoting clearer communication and environmental benefits.
