California Ban on 'Sell By' Food Labels Takes Effect, Forcing Grocers to Update Systems

California’s ban on “sell by” food labels took effect July 1 as the state seeks to reduce consumer confusion and the resulting waste of unexpired food. @ABC reported that manufacturers selling food in California must now use a “Best if Used By” label for peak quality and a “Use By” label for product safety, or both. The law was enacted in 2024 and makes California the first U.S.

State to standardize food date labels through legislation. Kimberley Kausen, a chef and cooking teacher in Irvine, California, described how family members interpret a passed “sell by” date on milk differently, with some discarding it immediately and others relying on smell or touch tests. The same confusion occurs nationwide, @ABC reported.

Nick Lapis, director of advocacy at Californians Against Waste, said food labels are the leading cause of household food waste and that “sell by” dates have caused food banks to receive donations people consider expired. Kumar Chandran, policy director at ReFED, stated that consumers default to assuming any date on a package means the food should be thrown away.

A 2022 University of Maryland report found more than 50 different date labels on packaged food sold in stores.

The Food and Drug Administration states that date-label confusion leads to nearly 20 percent of the nation’s food waste. In California, approximately 6 million tons of unexpired food are discarded each year for this reason, @ABC reported. The U.S.

Department of Agriculture recommended a decade ago that food sellers switch to “Best if Used By” labeling. Infant formula remains the only product currently regulated federally with date labels. New York state lawmakers approved a similar law that awaits Gov.