Californians are about to notice a major change the next time they stroll through the grocery store.<\/p>\n
Starting July 1, food makers and retailers across the Golden State will no longer be allowed to slap \u201csell by\u201d <\/a>dates on most packaged foods sold to consumers, under a sweeping new state law aimed at reducing food waste and clearing up confusion over expiration labels.<\/p>\n The shake-up stems from Assembly Bill 660, which creates a statewide standard for food date labels and effectively eliminates the patchwork of phrases that have long appeared on grocery packaging, including terms such as \u201csell by,\u201d \u201cfreshest by\u201d and \u201cexpires on.\u201d<\/p>\n Instead, shoppers will largely see just two labels.<\/p>\n Starting July 1, food makers and retailers across the Golden State will no longer be allowed to slap \u201csell by\u201d <\/a>dates on most packaged foods AFP via Getty Images<\/p>\n Products marked\u00a0\u201cBEST if Used by\u201d\u00a0are considered to be at their highest quality or flavor before that date, while items carrying a\u00a0\u201cUSE by\u201d\u00a0label indicate a food safety deadline. The law also permits shortened versions of the labels \u2014 \u201cBB\u201d and \u201cUB\u201d \u2014 for smaller packages and certain beverages.\u00a0<\/p>\n The new rules apply to foods manufactured on or after July 1, 2026. <\/p>\n Companies that continue using consumer-facing \u201csell by\u201d dates on products made after that date will not be allowed to sell them in California, although coded dates used internally for inventory tracking are still permitted.\u00a0<\/p>\n State officials say the overhaul is designed to address a costly problem: consumers routinely toss perfectly edible food because they misunderstand what date labels actually mean.<\/p>\n The California Department of Food and Agriculture says \u201csell by\u201d labels were originally intended to help retailers manage stock, not to tell shoppers when food becomes unsafe to eat. The agency argues that removing the phrase from packaging will reduce confusion and prevent usable food from ending up in landfills.\u00a0<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\tSign up for the California Morning Report newsletter\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCalifornia’s top news, sports and entertainment delivered to your inbox every day.\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\tThanks for signing up!\n\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n The California Department of Food and Agriculture says \u201csell by\u201d labels were originally intended to help retailers manage stock, not to tell shoppers when food becomes unsafe to eat. AP Photo\/Jon Cherry<\/p>\n The legislation makes California the first state in the nation to require standardized food date labeling and ban consumer-facing \u201csell by\u201d dates outright. Supporters hope the move could eventually become a model for the rest of the country.\u00a0<\/p>\n Currently, there is no comprehensive federal standard governing most food date labels, leaving manufacturers free to use dozens of different phrases. Industry experts estimate more than 50 date-related terms are in circulation nationwide, contributing to widespread consumer confusion.\u00a0<\/p>\n Consumer advocates and food waste groups have welcomed the change, arguing that shoppers often mistake quality dates for expiration dates.<\/p>\n Under the new system, a package that has passed its \u201cBEST if Used by\u201d date may still be safe to eat if it has been stored properly and shows no signs of spoilage. Only products labeled with \u201cUSE by\u201d are intended to communicate a food safety cutoff.\u00a0<\/p>\n For shoppers, the transition is expected to be simple: fewer labels, fewer guesses \u2014 and, state officials hope, a lot less food ending up in the trash. Getty Images<\/p>\n Manufacturers, processors and retailers have spent months updating packaging ahead of the deadline, racing to ensure products shipped into California comply with the state\u2019s requirements. Failure to do so could expose businesses to penalties or prevent products from being sold in the state\u2019s massive consumer market.\u00a0<\/p>\n For shoppers, the transition is expected to be simple: fewer labels, fewer guesses \u2014 and, state officials hope, a lot less food ending up in the trash.<\/p>\n Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters <\/p>\n California Post News: Facebook<\/a>, Instagram<\/a>, TikTok<\/a>, X<\/a>, YouTube<\/a>, WhatsApp<\/a>, LinkedIn<\/a> \t\t\t\t\t\t
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