FOOD labels will forever be changed in California under a new law.
Governor Gavin Newsom banned sell-by dates with a series of label regulations to clear up consumer confusion.
California shoppers will notice a change in food labels under a new California law[/caption]
Food manufacturers must now include a best-by or use-by date on every item[/caption]
There are currently over 50 phrasings for date labels on packaged food, according to lawmakers.
Some items indicate when a store should sell a product but don’t mention how long it should remain on shoppers’ shelves.
And other products have “best if used by” dates, but do not clarify whether the item is safe to eat after this day has passed.
To decrease food waste and help shoppers, California lawmakers created a standard food label system with Assembly Bill 660.
Under the new law, all packaged products must either have a best if used by or frozen by date or a use by or frozen by date.
Smaller products can shorten the labels with BB to indicate the best-by date or UB to indicate the use-by date.
Lawmakers have celebrated the law’s passing and look forward to seeing positive effects on their constituents and the environment.
“Californians rein in our estimated 6 million tons of annual food waste,” California Senator Ben Allen said, per the Natural Resources Defense Council.
“Providing commonsense labeling for food products will help address a number of key issues such as landfill emissions, wasteful grocery costs, water conservation, and supply chain constraints.”
Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin, who authored the bill, felt confident the new law would clear up “consumer confusion.”
“On grocery store shelves today, there are more than 50 differently phrased date labels on packaged food,” she said.
“Some phrases are used to communicate peak freshness of a product is no longer safe to eat.
“Others, like ‘sell by,’ are used only to inform stock rotation in stores but mislead some consumers into thinking the product is no longer safe to eat.”
There are currently no federal laws to enforce expiration dates.
Food manufacturers must abide by the new California law by July 1, 2026.
How to cut the cost of your grocery shop
BELOW are some tips on how to reduce the amount you spend on groceries.
- Write yourself a list – Only buy items that you need. If it isn’t on your list, don’t put it in the trolley
- Create a budget – Work out a weekly budget for your food shopping
- Never shop hungry – You are far more likely to buy more food if your tummy is rumbling
- Don’t buy pre-chopped veggies or fruit – The extra they’ll charge for chopping can be eye watering
- Use social media – Follow your favourite retailers to find out about the latest deals
- Be disloyal – You may want to go to different stores to find the best bargains
- Check the small print – It’s always worth checking the price per kg/lb/litre when comparing offers so you’re making a like for like decision as a bigger box won’t necessarily mean you get more
- Use your loyalty cards – Don’t be afraid to sign up to them all. They all work slightly differently – work out what bonus suits you better and remember to trade in your points for additional rewards
SAVE GROCERY MONEY
Recognizing expiration dates is key to saving money on grocery costs.
Those looking to save more on their weekly bills should always list the items they need before heading to the store.
Try and prepare a weekly budget to know exactly how much money you must spend at the store.
Plus, make sure never to shop hungry, as this can lead to impulse purchases.
The shopping update comes after a grocery chain with 27 stores in a single state has abruptly shut a location with a note on the door.
