Beginning July 1, California will ban the use of consumer‑facing “sell by” dates on packaged food products, replacing them with standardized “Best if Used by” and “Use by” labels in an effort to reduce food waste and consumer confusion.
The new law, Assembly Bill 660, authored by Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin and co‑sponsored by Californians Against Waste, requires all packaged food sold in the state to carry either a “quality date” or a “safety date” using specific uniform terminology. For quality dates, manufacturers must use “BEST if Used by” or “BEST if Used or Frozen by” to indicate when a product’s freshness or taste may begin to decline. For safety dates, labels must read “USE by” or “USE by or Freeze by” for perishable items that could become unsafe to eat after a certain date.
The legislation also prohibits the use of “sell by” dates on packaging intended for consumers. Retailers may still use coded dates for inventory management and stock rotation, provided they are “not easily readable by consumers” and do not use the phrase “sell by.” Exemptions include eggs, infant formula and food prepared for immediate consumption such as restaurant meals.
Less confusion, less waste is goal
More than 50 different date‑labeling phrases have been used in the U.S., contributing to widespread consumer confusion and premature disposal of wholesome food. According to CalRecycle, 2.5 billion meals worth of unspoiled food is thrown away each year in California, accounting for 48 percent of the state’s organic waste sent to landfills.
“The law completely bans confusing, consumer‑facing ‘sell‑by’ dates that often lead to households prematurely throwing away perfectly good grocery items,” according to a summary of the legislation. “This streamlined labeling system aims to save families money and keep billions of pounds of unspoiled food out of California landfills.”
Violations of the law are classified as misdemeanors punishable by fines of up to $1,000 per violation. The statute applies to all parties who sell or offer products for sale, meaning retailers could face penalties if they choose to sell noncompliant products. The California Department of Food and Agriculture, in consultation with the California Department of Public Health, is responsible for promoting uniform date‑labeling terms. The law builds on earlier voluntary efforts established by AB 954 in 2017.
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