California just flipped the script on grocery aisles. As of July 1, 2026, consumer-facing “sell by” dates vanished from food packages across the state. Manufacturers must now pick from a short list of clear phrases. Quality gets “BEST if Used by” or “BEST if Used or Frozen by.” Safety demands “USE by” or “USE by or Freeze by.” Short. Direct. No more guesswork.
But the change hits harder than a simple wording swap. It targets a stubborn source of waste. Americans toss more than one-third of food sold nationwide, much of it because shoppers can’t tell if a date signals peak taste or real danger. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has said for years that dates mostly do not indicate safety. (The New York Times)
Confusion reigns at home. Take Kimberley Kausen. In her kitchen a jug of milk past its “sell by” date sparks debate. Her daughter wants it trashed. Her husband figures it stays good for days. Kausen herself sniffs and pokes meat and poultry rather than trust the package. That scene repeats in households from San Diego to Sacramento. And across the country. (CNN)
The law, Assembly Bill 660, authored by Democratic Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin, passed in 2024. It applies to almost every food item for human consumption except eggs and infant formula. Small packages can shrink the terms to “BB” for quality or “UB” for safety. Retailers keep coded dates. Those stay hidden from shoppers but help stores rotate stock. A grace period lets old inventory clear shelves. (California Department of Food and Agriculture)
Untangling Decades of Label Chaos
More than 50 different date phrases have cluttered packages for years. “Best by,” “best before,” “use by,” “sell by,” “expires on.” Each manufacturer chose its own system. States layered their own rules. Only infant formula carries federal standardization. The result? Shoppers default to the trash bin when doubt creeps in.
Nick Lapis of Californians Against Waste, a cosponsor of the bill, calls food labels one of the leading causes of household waste. “Sell by” dates in particular create headaches for food banks that hesitate to distribute items past those marks even when the food remains perfectly edible. (CNN)
Kumar Chandran of ReFED echoes the point. Consumers feel confused. They throw food away as the safest option. Labels have stayed largely unregulated and disconnected from actual safety science. California alone discards about 6 million tons of still-good food each year. Nationally the figure approaches 20 percent of the food supply, according to FDA estimates.
Yet the USDA recommended “Best if Used By” language more than a decade ago. Few states listened. Industry groups once warned that California’s move would complicate business for companies selling across state lines. They argued for uniformity at the federal level instead of a patchwork. Those concerns have not disappeared. National brands must now produce California-specific packaging or adjust formulas nationwide. Compliance costs add up. Supply chains tighten.
Still, grocers appear largely supportive. Clearer labels mean fewer returns and less spoilage in the back room. Environmental gains look real too. Organic waste fills 48 percent of landfills and generates 41 percent of methane emissions from that source. Cutting premature discards trims both the garbage truck trips and the climate impact. (Fox Business)
Irwin put it plainly. “Using clear, consistent date labels will help reduce confusion about when food is safe to eat, cut down on unnecessary food waste, and make it easier for consumers to make informed decisions.” The assemblymember sees benefits for families, businesses and the environment alike.
Advocates hope the law sparks a wave. New York lawmakers recently approved similar legislation. Bills have surfaced in several other states. A bipartisan proposal sits in Congress aiming for a national standard. Momentum builds. California often sets trends that ripple outward. This time the test comes in grocery carts and kitchen counters. (The New York Times)
Early days. Manufacturers scramble to update printing plates and inventory systems. Retailers retrain staff. Consumers learn the new shorthand. Some will keep sniffing and tasting. Old habits die hard. But the signal feels unmistakable. A date should inform, not intimidate. California drew the line. The rest of the country watches.
And the stakes climb higher each year. With supply chains strained and climate pressures mounting, every ton of food kept in circulation counts. This reform won’t solve waste overnight. It removes one glaring obstacle. Shoppers gain clarity. Producers face new discipline. The market will sort the rest.
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