SARATOGA, California — A new California law that took effect July 1 prohibits food manufacturers from using "sell by" labels on packaging, making the state the first in the nation to standardize date labels in a bid to reduce food waste.
Saratoga, a Santa Clara County city of roughly 31,000 residents, sits in Silicon Valley about 50 miles south of San Francisco. The law requires manufacturers to use one or both of two labels: "best if used by," which indicates peak quality, and "use by," which relates to product safety. Eggs and infant formula are exempt from the requirements.
State Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin, a Democrat who authored the legislation, said the change addresses widespread consumer confusion about what date labels actually mean. The "sell by" designation was designed as an inventory guide for retailers, not as a safety indicator for consumers, but shoppers frequently treat it as an expiration date.
Food-waste researchers estimate that a significant share of food thrown away in the United States is discarded because of confusion over date labels, even though most of that food remains safe to eat. California has positioned the labeling standard as a practical tool to cut down on unnecessary waste at the household level.
The California Department of Food and Agriculture, which oversees the food recovery program, now lists the labeling requirements on its website. The agency says standardized labels will make it easier for consumers to distinguish between quality guidance and safety information.