New food label law goes into effect as US state bans ‘sell by’ dates

• California has implemented a new food labeling law, effective July 1, to combat significant household food waste caused by confusing date stamps.
• The legislation bans the use of "sell by" labels , which are primarily for retailers , and mandates manufacturers to adopt either "Best if Used By" for peak quality or "Use By" to indicate product safety.
• Democratic Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin, the bill's author, said manufacturers retain the choice to use either or both standardized labels, aiming to clarify product freshness for consumers.
• This initiative makes California the first U.S. state to standardize food labels, with New York state lawmakers also approving similar legislation, building momentum for a potential national standard.
• Experts emphasize that ambiguous labeling contributes to nearly 20% of the nation's food waste, with California alone discarding approximately 6 million tons of unexpired food annually due to consumer confusion.

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Your food labels have been confusing for years - California is finally fixing it