California to Ban 'Sell By' Product Labels, Force Companies to Say Exactly When Food Should Be Trashed

A new California law will require all products to use the phrase “Best If Used By” to signal peak quality, and “Use By” to indicate product safety. (Credit: kc0uvb/Pixabay)

California has banned the phrase "sell by" from product labels to help clarify when exactly food should be thrown away.

The bill, which goes into effect July 1, 2026, aims at reducing food waste across the state by creating a standard label that will not confuse the customer on how long the product is good for, according to officials.