Ban on “sell by” labeling in California goes into effect

• Starting Wednesday, California’s ban on “sell by” ethics stickers will take effect.
• Food labels must say “Best if Used By” instead of “sell by” for consumer use by dates.
• Change the wording on “sell by” dates to “Best if Used By” to ensure consumer understanding and compliance with the new regulations.

Starting Wednesday, California will introduce a new market regulation for food products that carry the ethics sticker “sell by”. The change is meant to eliminate confusion about when products should be used during winter months.

The “sell by” rule will be enforced differently for retailers, requiring them to remove “sell by” markings and replace them with “Best if Used By” for consumer use-by dates. Retailers will be allowed to use the new labels only within the specified period.

Food items sold in California, such as those with “Best if Used By”, will have to use “Use By” for consumer use-by dates. Otherwise, they may be considered noncompliant.

The author of the law is Democratic Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin. California’s new rule will be the first time in the U.S. that “sell by” labeling is restricted, with the change taking effect in 2024.

California’s ban will be followed by New York, where Governor Kathy Hochul signed legislation that will limit “sell by” labeling. The law applies to dairy, meat, and other products, but it will not be enforced for certain items.

Opponents argue that the ban will increase costs for businesses and confuse consumers. In the U.S., according to the FDA, the “sell by” date is not a safety date and does not indicate when a product becomes unsafe. In California, however, the new rule will require retailers to comply with the updated labeling standards.

According to the California Grocers Association, the law will cause additional costs for retailers and may lead to more food waste. The association says that if retailers are forced to discard items sooner, they will have to throw away more products that are still safe to eat.

Tags: USA/Politics/Well-being/Ecology