California Bans ‘Sell By’ Dates on Food, New York Could Be Next

California is the first state to ban “sell by” dates and standardize food date labeling in an effort to cut down on food waste but several other states could soon follow suit.Food manufacturers widely adopted date labels in the 1970s to answer consumer concerns about product freshness but a lack of uniform labeling has led to confusion. The average American throws away about $728 worth of food a year, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. That amounts to nearly $3,000 a year for a family of four.“Clarifying and standardizing date label language is one of the most cost-effective and commonsense methods to reduce food waste, help consumers keep dollars in their pockets, and ensure safe, healthy food can be donated to those in need,” Harvard’s health law and policy innovation center director, Emily Broad Leib said in a release issued by the Natural Resources Defense Council. Assembly Bill 660 became law Wednesday in the Golden State, standardizing the use of “BEST if Used By” labels on perishable foods. The new phrase will eliminate more than 50 other types of date labels on packaged foods. “The inconsistent use of phrases like ‘Sell By,’ ‘Expires On,’ ‘Freshest Before,’ and others makes for an impossible-to-navigate system for consumers who don’t want to throw away good food or make their families sick,” a Californians Against Waste policy associate, Erica Parker, said in the same release. “The result is a staggering amount of food waste — Californians throw away six million tons of food waste each year — and confusion over date labels is a leading cause.”Lawmakers in other states have attempted similar labeling laws but have yet to get them over the finish line. Advocates of the law — like the Public Interest Research Group — expect California’s passage will help push other states to start or continue the process.In June New York state lawmakers approved a date-labeling bill to end the use of “sell by” for “USE By” and “BEST if Used by” labels. The proposal is awaiting Gov. Kathy Hochul’s signature. She has not indicated if she will sign the measure.Food labeling bills were introduced this year in Illinois and Massachusetts but they don’t prohibit “sell-by” dates. A food date labeling bill is working its way through the New Jersey legislature that uses the uniform “BEST if Used By” phrase for a quality date and a “USE By” date for elevated-risk foods that require time/temperature control for safety. One of the sponsors, Senator Linda Greenstein, says the standardized dates will help stop consumer confusion.“Establishing uniform standards for food labeling will allow consumers to better understand if their groceries are still safe to eat, which will in turn empower them to reduce waste and avoid needlessly spending more than they have to,” Ms. Greenstein said in a release. A fellow Democratic state senator, Bob Smith, said the bill would have another environmental benefit. He says as food waste enters landfills it produces “harmful methane gas.”A similar bill in South Carolina — introduced by a Republican — has languished in committee.No national uniform system for food date labeling exists, but a bipartisan bill was re-introduced in Congress last July to create one. The Consumer Brands Association has come out in favor of the proposal saying it would increase consumer transparency and reduce unnecessary food waste.

California Bans ‘Sell By’ Dates on Food, New York Could Be Next

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