How California’s ban on ‘sell by’ dates will impact grocery shopping

Californians are about to notice a major change the next time they stroll through the grocery store.

Starting July 1, food makers and retailers across the Golden State will no longer be allowed to slap “sell by” dates on most packaged foods sold to consumers, under a sweeping new state law aimed at reducing food waste and clearing up confusion over expiration labels.

The shake-up stems from Assembly Bill 660, which creates a statewide standard for food date labels and effectively eliminates the patchwork of phrases that have long appeared on grocery packaging, including terms such as “sell by,” “freshest by” and “expires on.”

Instead, shoppers will largely see just two labels.

Products marked “BEST if Used by” are considered to be at their highest quality or flavor before that date, while items carrying a “USE by” label indicate a food safety deadline. The law also permits shortened versions of the labels — “BB” and “UB” — for smaller packages and certain beverages. 

The new rules apply to foods manufactured on or after July 1, 2026.

Companies that continue using consumer-facing “sell by” dates on products made after that date will not be allowed to sell them in California, although coded dates used internally for inventory tracking are still permitted. 

State officials say the overhaul is designed to address a costly problem: consumers routinely toss perfectly edible food because they misunderstand what date labels actually mean.

The California Department of Food and Agriculture says “sell by” labels were originally intended to help retailers manage stock, not to tell shoppers when food becomes unsafe to eat. The agency argues that removing the phrase from packaging will reduce confusion and prevent usable food from ending up in landfills. 

The legislation makes California the first state in the nation to require standardized food date labeling and ban consumer-facing “sell by” dates outright. Supporters hope the move could eventually become a model for the rest of the country. 

Currently, there is no comprehensive federal standard governing most food date labels, leaving manufacturers free to use dozens of different phrases. Industry experts estimate more than 50 date-related terms are in circulation nationwide, contributing to widespread consumer confusion. 

Consumer advocates and food waste groups have welcomed the change, arguing that shoppers often mistake quality dates for expiration dates.

Under the new system, a package that has passed its “BEST if Used by” date may still be safe to eat if it has been stored properly and shows no signs of spoilage. Only products labeled with “USE by” are intended to communicate a food safety cutoff. 

Manufacturers, processors and retailers have spent months updating packaging ahead of the deadline, racing to ensure products shipped into California comply with the state’s requirements. Failure to do so could expose businesses to penalties or prevent products from being sold in the state’s massive consumer market. 

For shoppers, the transition is expected to be simple: fewer labels, fewer guesses — and, state officials hope, a lot less food ending up in the trash.

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