California eliminates consumer ‘sell by’ food labels
To cut down on food waste and prevent unnecessary confusion for shoppers, California is drastically changing how grocery items are labeled under a new consumer protection law.
By banning misleading “sell-by” labels, California’s Assembly Bill 660 aims to stop billions of pounds of unspoiled food from needlessly ending up in landfills. The legislation replaces inconsistent wording on packaging with standard, consumer-friendly labels.
Manufacturers selling in California are now required to use standardized labels: “Best if Used By” to indicate peak quality, and “Use By” to signify product safety.
Officials note that “sell by” labels often seen on food packaging are intended for retail inventory management. However, such labels are often misinterpreted as a consumption safety label.
The new legislation introduces uniform terminology to clearly distinguish food freshness from health risks, addressing a major driver of food waste in California where consumers frequently mistake “best if used by” dates for safety warnings. The measure emphasizes that while an item past this date may have passed its peak flavor profile, it remains entirely safe to consume and should not be needlessly discarded
Editor: So if's not green it's safe to eat by California Standards.