California has passed a law banning 'sell by' labels on food products in an effort to reduce food waste and eliminate consumer confusion. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Associated Press.
Under the new regulation, only standardized labels such as 'best if used by' or 'use by' will be allowed on food items. This change aims to eliminate confusion caused by varying date labels, as shown in photographs taken on June 30, 2026, at Park Plaza Fine Foods in San Francisco.
Kimberley Kausen, a chef and cooking teacher from Irvine, California, said that in her home, a 'sell by' date on a milk jug means different things to different family members. Her daughter thinks it should be thrown away, while her husband believes the milk is still good for a few more days. Kausen herself uses her sense of smell to decide: "I'll put some thought into it, and if we're talking about meat and poultry, I'm very cautious about that and for sure will do the smell test and the touch test."
The law addresses a common issue in households across California and the country, where various phrases on food packaging have long left shoppers unsure whether food is simply past its peak quality or unsafe to eat. The new rules are expected to help reduce food waste.