California has enacted a new law that bans "sell by" labels on food products, aiming to significantly reduce food waste. The legislation standardizes the language used for expiration dates, which is expected to clarify for consumers when food is actually safe to eat, rather than when it should be removed from store shelves.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, over one-third of all food sold across the nation is wasted, a problem this new California law seeks to address by minimizing consumer confusion and encouraging the consumption of perfectly edible food that might otherwise be discarded.