The Brief

California’s Assembly Bill 660 completely bans consumer-facing “sell-by” dates on packaged foods to stop households from prematurely throwing away good grocery items.

Food manufacturers must adopt a uniform system, using “BEST if Used by” strictly for peak product quality and “USE by” for public food safety.

While the policy aims to save families money and keep billions of pounds of food out of landfills, it is unknown how strictly local agencies will penalize non-compliant retailers.

LOS ANGELES – California will fundamentally change how grocery items are marked under a new consumer protection law aimed at drastically cutting down statewide food waste.

What we know

Assembly Bill 660 is an enacted consumer protection law designed to stop billions of pounds of unspoiled food from unnecessarily entering California landfills.

Under the legislation, confusing and varied grocery terms are prohibited on consumer-facing packaging.

Instead, the state mandates a streamlined, uniform terminology system that separates food freshness from health risks.

SUGGESTED:

Manufacturers are required to use the phrase “BEST if Used by” to indicate peak product quality. Conversely, the phrase “USE by” must be reserved strictly for public food safety warnings.

What we don’t know

The legislative text outlines the structural requirements for manufacturers, but it remains unclear exactly how rigorously local code enforcement and public health agencies will monitor retail shelves.

What’s next

The new guidelines will be fully implemented by July 1.

Ahead of this mandatory enforcement deadline, food brands, processors, and packaging teams shipping goods into the state must finalize updates to their printing layouts to ensure compliance with the strictly mandated language.

What you can do

California shoppers can prepare for the transition by familiarizing themselves with the two new authorized phrases.

When browsing store aisles, remember that an item past its “BEST if Used by” date is still safe to consume and has merely passed its peak flavor profile.

Food safety precautions and expiration decisions should be strictly reserved for items carrying the “USE by” designation.

The Source

This report is based on the statutory text and official provisions of California Assembly Bill 660.