Confusing food date labels have been a national issue for years, with federal agencies and state lawmakers warning that shoppers often mistake quality dates for safety deadlines. In California, that debate turned into law with new statewide rules that ban the use of “sell by” on many food packages starting July 1, 2026.
What California changed
California enacted Assembly Bill 660, a state law signed in 2024 that standardizes date labels on many packaged foods sold in the state. Beginning July 1, 2026, the law bars most manufacturers, retailers, and distributors from using “sell by” on covered consumer food products sold in California.
Under AB 660, businesses are directed to use clearer phrases instead. The law allows “BEST if Used By” to describe peak quality and “Use By” to describe the date tied to safety, according to the bill language approved by the California Legislature.
The measure is broad, but it is not universal. The law does not apply to infant formula, and it does not override any separate federal labeling rules that already govern specific food categories.
What it means in California stores
For shoppers in California, the most visible change will be on packaging, not on store shelves themselves. Starting July 1, 2026, consumers should expect to see fewer mixed phrases like “sell by,” “expires on,” or other date wording on covered products sold across the state.
What is confirmed is that the rule applies statewide in California and targets labels used on consumer food packaging. What is not yet known is which brands will update packaging first, because the state has not released a product-by-product list and companies have not issued a comprehensive statewide rollout schedule.
The law also does not mean food suddenly lasts longer or shorter than it did before July 2026. The change is about label language, and California officials said the goal is to reduce confusion that can lead households to throw away food that is still usable.
Why the state is doing this
California lawmakers tied the change directly to food waste. In the bill’s findings, the state said inconsistent date labels contribute to unnecessary food disposal because many consumers read quality dates as hard safety cutoffs.
That matters in a state where food waste and climate policy are already connected in law and regulation. California has spent years pushing waste-reduction efforts, and AB 660 fits into that broader policy approach by focusing on a common label that appears in grocery stores across the state.
For customers, the practical takeaway is simple: after July 1, 2026, a “BEST if Used By” date is meant to signal quality, while “Use By” is the label reserved for safety on covered foods. California’s law sets a single statewide standard, and that is the change shoppers will start seeing on packages as companies update labels for the 2026 deadline.
