California bans sell-by dates
California has passed a law standardizing date labels on most packaged foods, replacing vague or misleading terms like “sell by” with “Best if Used By” for quality and “Use By” for safety. Commenters largely welcome clearer labeling as a way to cut unnecessary food waste and consumer confusion, but they question how much waste it will really prevent, note that producers still choose the actual dates, and highlight edge cases such as coffee, beer, eggs, and fresh produce where dates interact awkwardly with real-world spoilage and supply chains.
Overview of the Law
- California will standardize date labels on most foods:
- “Best if Used By” = quality / peak freshness.
- “Use By” = safety-related.
- “Sell by” and other consumer-facing phrases are effectively removed; internal codes for inventory can still exist.
- Exemptions include infant formula, eggs, beer, and malt beverages, in part due to separate regulatory regimes or specific spoilage patterns.
Consumer Confusion & Behavior
- Many people currently treat any printed date as a hard expiration and throw out edible food.
- Others use “sell by” only to choose the freshest item on the shelf.
- Some commenters want three dates (sell by, best by, expires), others think that’s too complex.
- Several note that people often ignore the wording and focus only on the date; concern that new language may not change behavior much.
Food Waste, Retailers, and Supply Chain
- Experiences vary: some vendors take back expired stock; others leave the loss to retailers.
- Grocery stores throw away large amounts of food; some donate near-expired items to food banks or sell to farmers as animal feed, others landfill it.
- Debate over whether consumers should “help the system” by buying older stock vs prioritizing their own freshness.
- One commenter notes states like Montana use short sell-by dates to protect local dairy, showing labels can be used protectionistically.
International & Comparative Practices
- UK and some EU countries have reduced or changed visible dates; mixed reports:
- Some see more rotten produce on shelves.
- Others note “best before” equivalents plus extra wording like “often good after” and charity collection of past-date food.
- Brazil and some European countries use both a manufacture/pack date and a safety date.
Food Safety vs Quality
- Thread repeatedly distinguishes:
- Quality loss (stale, off flavor) vs.
- Safety risks (pathogens, toxins like botulism).
- Some argue for clearer, more explicit wording like “expires on” or “do not consume after” for safety-critical items.
- Others rely mainly on smell/appearance/taste, while caution is urged for canned foods and certain high-risk categories.
Skepticism & Critiques
- Some see the law as minor “wordsmithing” oversold as a major anti-waste measure; projected waste reductions (e.g., 0.6%) are questioned.
- Concerns about relabeling costs and reduced product availability in California.
- Others argue standardization is simple, consumer-friendly, and likely to spread nationally due to manufacturers avoiding state-specific packaging.