California Eliminates 'Sell By' Labels to Reduce Food Waste

WHO:

CNN - Kimberley Kausen, a chef and cooking teacher in Irvine, California.

CNN - Jacqui Irwin, Democratic Assemblymember and author of the bill.

CNN - Nick Lapis, director of advocacy at Californians Against Waste.

CNN - Kumar Chandran, policy director at ReFED.

CNN - Nate Rose, spokesperson for the California Grocers Association.

WHAT:

CNN - California has banned the use of "sell by" labels on food packaging.

CNN - The new law requires manufacturers to use two standardized labels: "Best if Used By" for peak quality and "Use By" for product safety.

CNN - California became the first state in the U.S. to standardize food labels with this law approved in 2024.

CNN - Approximately 6 million tons of unexpired food are thrown away each year in California due to confusion over food labels.

CNN - There are more than 50 different date labels on packaged food sold in stores.

WHERE:

CNN - California, specifically mentioned in relation to the law and its effects.

CNN - New York state, where lawmakers have approved a similar law awaiting the governor's signature.

CNN - Other states mentioned include Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and South Carolina, where legislation has been proposed but not passed.

WHEN:

CNN - The new food labeling law started on a Wednesday, with the specific year being 2024.

CNN - A bipartisan bill to establish uniform food labels is pending in Congress.

WHY:

CNN - The law aims to reduce food waste and confusion among consumers regarding food safety.

CNN - Food labels are identified as the leading cause of household food waste.

CNN - The confusion over food labels contributes to nearly 20% of the nation’s food waste, according to the Food and Drug Administration.

HOW:

CNN - The law standardizes food labels to eliminate confusion and promote consistent terminology across brands.

CNN - The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommended a decade ago that food sellers should switch to "Best if Used By" labeling.

(UPDATED July 1, 2026 15:52 UTC)

California has made headlines by banning "sell by" labels on food packaging, becoming the first state in the U.S. to implement standardized labels that include "Best if Used By" for peak quality and "Use By" for safety. This new law, which took effect in 2024, aims to tackle the issue of food waste, as approximately 6 million tons of unexpired food are discarded each year due to confusion over various date labels. Similar legislation is currently pending in New York and has been proposed in several other states, highlighting a growing movement to reduce food waste and clarify food safety for consumers.