California just rewrote the rules on grocery expiration dates, here’s what’s changing

Food date labels have long varied across the U.S., with different phrases often used to describe freshness, quality, and safety on grocery packaging. In California, that system changed when Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 660 on September 28, 2024, creating a statewide standard for how most packaged foods are dated. The new law is aimed at reducing confusion at the shelf and cutting food waste by telling shoppers more clearly whether a printed date is about peak quality or actual safety.

California signed AB 660 and set uniform terms for most food date labels

California’s change centers on AB 660, authored by Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin and signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom on September 28, 2024, according to the Governor’s office. The law standardizes the phrases food manufacturers, processors, and retailers can use on most food sold for human consumption in the state, replacing a marketplace where, according to the California Department of Food and Agriculture, more than 50 differently worded labels had been used nationwide. That variation included terms such as “best by,” “expires on,” and “sell by,” which were often interpreted by shoppers as safety deadlines even when they referred only to quality.

Under guidance now posted by the California Department of Food and Agriculture, the approved quality terms are “best if used by” and “best if frozen by.” The approved safety terms are “use by” and “use or freeze by.” The department states that, beginning July 1, 2026, food sold in California generally cannot use other consumer-facing date phrases if the label is intended to communicate quality or safety.

The law also targets “sell by” labels, which have traditionally helped stores rotate stock but have also appeared on consumer packaging. CDFA states that, starting July 1, 2026, consumer-facing “sell by” dates are prohibited for food sold in California, though coded stock-rotation information for retailers can still be used. The state has said the rule does not apply the same way to every category, with eggs and infant formula treated separately under existing requirements.

The California impact is statewide, but product-by-product changes will appear over time

The practical effect is statewide: grocery stores, food manufacturers, and retailers selling covered products in California will have to align labels with the new terminology. What is confirmed is the implementation date of July 1, 2026, for the sales prohibition on noncompliant labels, per CDFA. What is not yet publicly detailed in a single statewide list is which brands or product lines will relabel first, and the state has not published a comprehensive, product-by-product rollout by city or retailer.

That means shoppers in Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose, San Francisco, Sacramento, Fresno, Oakland, Bakersfield, Anaheim, and other California markets may see a mix of old and new label language during the transition period as inventory and packaging cycles change. The law applies across the state rather than to a limited pilot region. It is not a county-by-county rule, and no exemption list by city has been broadly released in the state guidance currently available.

California has described the measure as first-in-the-nation in its signed bill announcement. That claim refers to the state’s move to require uniform consumer-facing terminology rather than simply encourage best practices. The state guidance also makes clear that the standard is meant for labels communicating either quality or safety, not for every coded or internal inventory marking a retailer may use behind the scenes.

The change is tied to food waste and consumer confusion, with shoppers seeing clearer shelf labels

The stated reason for the law is consumer confusion that contributes to unnecessary food waste. In announcing the bill signing, the Governor’s office said AB 660 would create clarity and consistency and better inform consumers. CDFA’s guidance similarly states that inconsistent date language has led people to discard wholesome, nutritious food because they misread quality dates as safety cutoffs.

Legislative materials for AB 660 also cite broader national context: except for infant formula, federal law generally does not require date labels as indicators of product safety, and industry dating has often been used primarily to signal peak quality. That distinction matters because the new California framework separates the two ideas explicitly. “Best if used by” is for freshness or quality, while “use by” is reserved for safety, according to the state’s posted guidance.

For customers, the main change is that grocery labels in California should become easier to interpret once the rule is fully in force. Shoppers should expect fewer date phrases on covered products and less visible use of “sell by” language on consumer packaging after July 1, 2026. California officials have framed the shift as a long-term labeling change rather than a recall or store-specific action, and the state’s published guidance indicates enforcement is tied to how food is offered for sale going forward.