New California food and beverage labeling and packaging regulations
USA
Oct 04, 2024
The Governor Gavin Newsom signed the nation’s first mandatory food date labeling reform bill. Assembly Bill 660 standardizes confusing date labels that result in unnecessary food waste across the state. Authored by Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin, AB 660 received bipartisan support, and marks a pivotal step toward a more sustainable future for California.
AB 660 will close this gap by requiring manufacturers to use the same phrase for date labels across their products. Starting July 1, 2026, “BEST if Used By” will be used to communicate peak quality, and “Use By” will be used to communicate product safety. To further reduce confusion on food date labeling, AB 660 prohibits the use of consumer facing “sell by” dates, reducing the likelihood of confusing “sell by” dates with quality and/or safety dates. This small change will accelerate California’s progress towards achieving a more efficient and secure food system.
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