Target, Walmart and Trader Joe's stores in California forced to change how they sell fresh food

California has become the first state to ban confusing 'best before' labels on food in all major supermarkets.

The legislation, pushed through by Governor Gavin Newsom over the weekend, aims to help consumers stop playing guessing games with the produce in their fridges.

Food labels that say 'sell by' or 'best before' have no universal meaning under current laws.

There are more than 50 different date labels on packaged food sold in stores across the US, but the information is largely unregulated and does not relate to food safety.

'Sell by' dates, for example, often act as a guide for stores to pull products from shelves, and not as an indicator of whether the product is still safe to consume. 

With no federal regulations dictating what information these labels should include, this often leads to customer confusion - and nearly 20 percent of the nation's food waste, according to the Food and Drug Administration.

In California alone, around six million tons of unexpired food is tossed in the trash each year.

'Having to wonder whether our food is still good is an issue that we all have struggled with,' said author of the bill, Democratic Assembly member Jacqui Irwin.

The new law 'is a monumental step to keep money in the pockets of consumers while helping the environment and the planet,' she added.

Taking effect in July 2026, the new rules set a new standard for food labeling in the Golden State. 

They will replace the current labels with a 'best if used by' label to signal peak quality of a product, and a 'use by' label for product safety. 

The law will provide an exemption for eggs, beer and other malt beverages. 

It comes as similar efforts around the country remain halted at the federal level.

Lawmakers and advocates in California said they have spent the last decade trying to pass legislation to reduce food labeling confusion and cut down on food waste.

'Food waste rates are not decreasing, they're increasing,' said Erica Parker with Californians Against Waste, who sponsored the bill. 

Supporters hope the legislation could pave the way for new food labeling standards across the country. 

'California has such a large market share that we do think this will push manufacturers,' said Nina Sevilla with Natural Resources Defense Council, who also sponsored the bill. 

'The hope is that California serves as a model either for other states or ultimately to push action at the federal level.'

Shopper Jasmine Acosta, 23, told The Associated Press she believes most people do not understand the current language used on food labels.

'It's confusing to most consumers,' she said as she shopped Tuesday at a Smart & Final store in Los Angeles.

She used to work at a small grocery store, so she has developed the habit of examining her meat purchases for smell or discoloration before using the food, she said. 

A sell-by date helps the grocer adhere to a 'first in first out' method for its products and get ready for the next shipment arrival, but does not mean the food has gone bad, according to Acosta.

While shopping Tuesday, she picked up a pack of meat that said 'use or freeze by' - phrasing that she believes is relatively clear compared to other language but could still be confusing.

'It would obviously help everybody try to be on the same spectrum and make sure everything's able to be used by the consumers, or if not it's just a waste of money,' Acosta told the outlet.

It comes after Governor Newsom also banned plastic bags in California stores. 

The change, which was signed into law earlier this year, will take legal effect on January 1, 2026, and will affect all grocery stores.

Some grocery chains such as Whole Foods have already phased out plastic bags at their checkouts nationwide. 

Consumers will be encouraged to bring their own bags to do their shopping, and those who do not will be offered a paper alternative. 

The new law will only affect the plastic bags used at supermarket checkouts, not the plastic bags that contain produce.