>It will require the use of “Best if Used By” label to signal peak quality and “Use By” label for product safety
Who are these people that were confused by "Best by" but understand "best if used by"?
California first state to ban 'sell by' 'best before' label to reduce food waste
11–20 of 66 posts
Re: California first state to ban 'sell by' 'best before' label to reduce food waste
#12[flagged]
Re: California first state to ban 'sell by' 'best before' label to reduce food waste
#13Title is a little misleading, as attested to by several comments here. It's more a standardization (which, yes, does include "banning" the non-standard labels) Relevant quote: > The law is set to take effect in July 2026, establishing a new standard for food labeling in California. It will require the use of “Best if Used By” label to signal peak quality and “Use By” label for product safety, an approach recommended…
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Re: California first state to ban 'sell by' 'best before' label to reduce food waste
#14[flagged]
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Re: California first state to ban 'sell by' 'best before' label to reduce food waste
#15Title is a little misleading, as attested to by several comments here. It's more a standardization (which, yes, does include "banning" the non-standard labels) Relevant quote: > The law is set to take effect in July 2026, establishing a new standard for food labeling in California. It will require the use of “Best if Used By” label to signal peak quality and “Use By” label for product safety, an approach recommended…
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Why does that framing confuse you?
Re: California first state to ban 'sell by' 'best before' label to reduce food waste
#16[flagged]
Pretty sure nobody is telling you you can't do either of those things.
Re: California first state to ban 'sell by' 'best before' label to reduce food waste
#17Maybe grocery stores should be forced to better their inventory control. My “fancy” neighborhood grocery store (upgraded from Vons to Pavilions supposedly as a mark of affluence) I have to check every item because sometimes premade foods like Mac and cheese and those “Kevin” chicken packs are 1-2 months past the best by date.
I think food should have a “made on date” in addition. I know on some items you can tell by the code, but for a lot of premade items like flatbreads, etc in the deli they just have a label of when they should be removed from the shelf.
Grocery prices are already high. If I buy a premade Mac and cheese and it is 1 month expired, how old is it really? 6 months? A year?
Sometimes I pick up one pack that is about to pass the best by date and the best by date of the one next to it is 6 months from now. That means the one that is about to pass is at least 6 months old.
How is it right that I have to pay full price for cooked items that are a year old?
Modern grocery stores are nasty since they started extending best by dates longer and longer and replaced most fresh deli items with factory made package food that you have no idea when it is made.
Re: California first state to ban 'sell by' 'best before' label to reduce food waste
#18Re: California first state to ban 'sell by' 'best before' label to reduce food waste
#19Will it be replaced with a "Produced on XXXX" date? If you don't know when a product is considered unsafe, then at least you should know when it was produced to know if it is fresh enough for "YOUR"your consumption. It shouldn't be up to the govt to decide what is or isn't fresh enough for you. That is your choice.
I second this motion 100%
Confusing use by labels only benefit corps by allowing them to over buy and then let their inventory spoil on the shelf while they charge full price for year old garbage.
If customers knew when their food was made, people would be grossed out and not buy rice cooked 8 months ago from the refrigerated section. it would force corps to have more sales to rotate inventory more often.
Re: California first state to ban 'sell by' 'best before' label to reduce food waste
#20Maybe grocery stores should be forced to better their inventory control. My “fancy” neighborhood grocery store (upgraded from Vons to Pavilions supposedly as a mark of affluence) I have to check every item because sometimes premade foods like Mac and cheese and those “Kevin” chicken packs are 1-2 months past the best by date. I think food should have a “made on date” in addition. I know on some items you can tell by…
Totally agree on the packing date.
Why not just have three dates: “Packaged”, “Best by”, and “Expiration”
I feel like that would be extremely clear for people