California Bans Confusing Food Date Labels

California has enacted a new law to simplify food labeling and reduce food waste, making it the first state to ban labels such as 'sell by' or 'best before'. Signed by Governor Gavin Newsom, the legislation aims to eliminate consumer confusion by requiring 'Best if Used By' for peak quality and 'Use By' for safety, effective July 2026. The current lack of federal regulation has led to misleading labels and nearly 20% of the nation's food waste, equivalent to 6 million tons of unexpired food annually in California. Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin, the bill's author, emphasized the law's benefits for both consumer savings and environmental impact. Exemptions include eggs, beer, and other malt beverages, and the law allows smaller packaging to use abbreviated labels like 'BB' and 'UB'.