Use By: Today—California’s New Food Date Labeling Requirements Take Effect

California’s new food date labeling requirements under Assembly Bill (AB) 660 take effect on July 1, and regulated businesses will need to ensure they have adjusted their labeling practices to comply. AB 660 was enacted in 2024 with the goal of creating clarity and consistency to better inform consumers and significantly reduce food waste in the state.

Starting July 1, 2026, any food manufacturer, processor, or retailer responsible for labeling food items intended for human consumption, when choosing or being legally required to display a date label for quality or safety, must use one of the following standardized terms on products manufactured on or after that date:

1. “BEST if Used by” or “BEST if Used or Frozen by” to indicate the product’s quality date.
2. “USE by” or “USE by or Freeze by” to indicate the product’s safety date.
3. “BB” to denote the quality date on food items too small to include the full term in (1) or on beverages as defined in Section 14504 of the Public Resources Code.
4. “UB” to indicate the safety date on food items too small to display the full term in (2).

After July 1, 2026, the phrase “sell by” may not be used on packaging; however, “sell by” dates may be presented in coded format not easily readable by consumers.

AB 660 also contains several exceptions and permits additional date information on specific foods. Additionally, there is another bill currently before the legislature which, if passed, would clarify that AB 660’s labeling requirements do not apply to dietary supplements.

With the compliance deadline upon us, businesses in the food and beverage industry should familiarize themselves with AB 660 if they have not already done so and ensure that they are meeting all applicable date labeling requirements.

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.