California Tackles Food Waste with Clear Labels | Washington DC News

Washington DC News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now! · Jul 4, 2026 · 1m

California’s cracking down on food waste by rewriting how food dates are labeled—starting July 1, the state is ditching confusing terms like “sell by” and “best by” to clearly distinguish between quality and safety. This simple change could save millions of pounds of perfectly edible food from landfills, cut costs, and reduce environmental harm. Science shows most date labels are about appearance, not safety—so people toss food prematurely. The move is sparking national interest, with other states and even Congress considering similar standards. It’s a small tweak with big potential: clearer…