Updated

Updated · KTVU FOX 2 San Francisco · Jun 29

California Standardizes Food Date Labels From July 1, Banning 'Sell By' on Consumer Packaging

Updated

Updated · KTVU FOX 2 San Francisco · Jun 29

California Standardizes Food Date Labels From July 1, Banning 'Sell By' on Consumer Packaging

Q: With California's new law in effect, how soon will national brands be forced to adopt universal food date labels across the country?

They will not be forced to do so nationwide anytime soon by California’s law alone. AB 660 applies only to food products made on or after July 1, 2026, that are sold in California. In practice, many national brands may choose to use California’s wording on all packaging because it is cheaper and simpler than running separate labels for different states, especially given California’s market size. That is the likely “California effect.” But that is a business decision, not a nationwide legal mandate. A true national requirement would need either federal legislation or a broader wave of matching state laws. Right now, a bipartisan federal Food Date Labeling Act remains pending, and federal agencies have been exploring uniform standards. Some policy discussions have pointed to a possible national compliance date of Jan. 1, 2028, but that is only a potential timeline, not an adopted rule. There is some momentum beyond California. New York lawmakers have approved a similar measure awaiting the governor’s action, and several other states have considered related bills. If more large states follow California, national brands could face growing pressure to standardize labels across the country even before Congress acts. So the short answer is: California’s law takes effect now for products sold there, but there is no set date when national brands will be legally required to use universal labels nationwide. That would depend on federal action or more states passing similar laws.

3 articles · Updated · KTVU FOX 2 San Francisco · Jun 29

July 1 marks the start of California’s new food-labeling rules, which limit consumer date terms to quality labels like “best if used by” and safety labels like “use by.”
AB 660 also bars consumer-facing “sell by” dates, allowing them only in coded form for retailers and distributors, after advocates said more than 50 label phrases were confusing shoppers.
2.5 billion meals of unspoiled food end up in California landfills, where organics make up 48% of waste and emit methane; advocates say 20% of avoidable food waste stems from date-label confusion.
The law applies only to products produced on or after July 1, 2026 and sold in California, excludes eggs, infant formula, beer and other malt beverages, and does not require manufacturers to add dates.
Backers call the 2024 law a first-in-the-nation model that could spur similar state measures and a federal food date labeling standard, while also easing pressure on households and food banks.

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KTVU FOX 2 San Francisco2d ago

California Law Standardizes Food Date Labels, Bans 'Sell By' Dates

Food Safety Magazine1d ago

California Law Standardizing 'Best By' Dates Now in Effect: What Packaged Food Manufacturers Need to Know | Food Safety Magazine

WGR5506h ago

California bans 'sell by' food labels to cut food waste and confusion

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With California's new law in effect, how soon will national brands be forced to adopt universal food date labels across the country?

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California’s AB 660 Launches Nation’s First Mandatory Food Date Labeling Law to Cut Waste and Confusion

Overview

California's Assembly Bill 660 (AB 660), effective July 1, 2026, is the first law in the U.S. to standardize food date labeling. The law bans confusing 'sell by' dates, which shoppers often misread as safety warnings, and instead requires clear, standardized labels on packaged foods. These new labels are designed to help consumers easily understand when food is at its best quality or when it must be used for safety. By bringing clarity and consistency to food dating, AB 660 aims to reduce consumer confusion and cut down on unnecessary food waste across the state.

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