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 expiration labels on food in all major supermarkets.

The legislation, introduced this weekend by Governor Gavin Newsom, aims to help consumers stop playing guessing games with the products in their refrigerators.

Food labels stating ‘best before’ or ‘best before’ do not have universal meaning under current legislation.

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

For example, “sell dates” often act as a guide for stores to remove products from shelves, rather than as an indicator of whether the product is still safe to consume.

Because there are no federal regulations determining what information these labels must contain, 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, approximately six million tons of unexpired food are thrown in the trash every year.

“Having to ask whether our food is still good is an issue we all struggle with,” said Democratic Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin.

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

The new rules, which went into effect in July 2026, 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 indicate a product’s top quality, and a ‘use by’ label for product safety.

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

It comes as similar efforts across the country continue to be halted at the federal level.

California lawmakers and advocates said they have been trying to pass legislation over the past decade to reduce confusion over food labeling and reduce food waste.

“Food waste is not decreasing, it is increasing,” said Erica Parker of Californians Against Waste, which sponsored the bill.

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

“California has such a large market share that we think this will give manufacturers a boost,” said Nina Sevilla of the Natural Resources Defense Council, which also sponsored the bill.

“The hope is that California will serve as a model for other states or ultimately spur action at the federal level.”

Shopper Jasmine Acosta, 23, told The Associated Press that she believes most people don’t understand the current language used on food labels.

“It’s confusing for most consumers,” she said as she shopped at a Smart & Final store in Los Angeles on Tuesday.

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

An expiration date helps the grocer adhere to a “first in, first out” method for its products and prepare for the next shipment, but does not mean the food has spoiled, according to Acosta.

While shopping on Tuesday, she picked up a package of meat that said “use or freeze” — wording she said is relatively clear compared to other languages ​​but can still be confusing.

Shoppers wait in line to purchase groceries at a Gelson’s supermarket on Friday, March 20, 2020 in the Sherman Oaks neighborhood of Los Angeles

The new legislation, introduced last weekend by Governor Gavin Newsom, aims to help consumers stop playing guessing games with the products in their refrigerators.

A customer views refrigerated items at a Grocery Outlet store in Pleasanton, California.

“It would obviously help everyone to be on the same spectrum and make sure everything can be used by consumers, otherwise it’s just a waste of money,” Acosta told the outlet.

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

The change, which was signed into law earlier this year, will become legally binding on January 1, 2026 and will affect all supermarkets.

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 don’t will be offered a paper alternative.

The new law only affects the plastic bags used at supermarket checkouts, not the plastic bags that contain products.