California passes nation’s first mandatory food date labeling reform bill
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Governor Newsom signed Assembly Bill 660 into law which standardizes food date labels in an effort to prevent food waste statewide.
"Having to wonder whether our food is still good is an issue that we all have struggled with. Today’s signing of AB 660 is a monumental step to keep money in the pockets of consumers while helping the environment and the planet," said Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin who authored the bill. "I am grateful for the Governor’s signature of this first-in-the-nation bill to end the consumer confusion around expiration date labels that so many of us have experienced."
Starting July 1, 2026, Assembly Bill 660 will require manufacturers to use the same date labels across their products.
The label 'BEST if Used By' will be used to explain peak quality and the 'Use By' label will be used to communicate product safety.
The new law will also ban the use of consumer-facing labels featuring 'Sell By' dates.
"The inconsistent use of phrases like 'Sell By', 'Expires On', 'Freshest Before', and others makes for an impossible-to-navigate system for consumers who don’t want to throw away good food or make their families sick," explained Erica Parker, a Policy Associate with Californians Against Waste, a co-sponsor of AB 660. "The result is a staggering amount of food waste – Californians throw away six million tons of food waste each year – and confusion over date labels is a leading cause."
Decomposing food and organic waste in landfills is the source of 41 percent of the state's methane emissions detailed a press release about the bill from Assemblymember Irwin's Office.
Methane is 80 times more impactful than carbon dioxide when it comes to global warming.
"Clarifying and standardizing date label language is one of the most cost-effective and commonsense methods to reduce food waste, help consumers keep dollars in their pockets, and ensure safe, healthy food can be donated to those in need," detailed Emily Leib, Director of the Harvard Law School Food Law and Policy Clinic. "Based on our research on date labels for over a decade, we know that laws like AB 660 are essential to ensure that businesses and consumers alike can understand and use date labels more effectively. With this law, California is once again at the forefront of food waste and environmental policy, and I am thrilled to see the leadership that California legislature and Governor Newsom have taken to enact AB660 as a vehicle to address both hunger and environmental impacts of food waste."
According to Assemblymember Irwin's Office, the average American spends $1,300 on food that is never eaten and AB 660 mandates what was previously a voluntary adoption of Food and Drug Administration-supported labeling.
"Right now, we have an opportunity to address one of the leading drivers of food waste – confusion around food date labels," shared Victoria Rome, Director of California Government Affairs at the Natural Resources Defense Council, a co-sponsor of the bill. "Standardizing food date labels is a commonsense solution that will keep more money in people’s pockets and food on families’ plates, while reducing climate warming emissions."
