Amna Nawaz
@PBSNewsHour·5.3M subscribers·62.2K videos
Why 'Sell By' date labels on food are disappearing
Posted
July 29, 2026
Views
21,848
Likes
978
Engagement
4.48%
July 29, 2026
21,848
978
4.48%
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3:54Now Playing"Sell By" dates on groceries might be past their prime.
California became the first state to ban public-facing "Sell By" dates earlier this month, and other states are following close behind.
There are more than 50 date labels a shopper might see in the grocery store. California’s move is to reduce those to just two: A "Best If Used By" date for peak quality, and "Use By" date for product safety.
Experts hope removing date label confusion can help reduce food waste. An estimated 31% of food in consumer and retail settings goes uneaten, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Date label confusion is estimated to contribute to 3.5 million tons of wasted food per year.
PBS News’ Tim McPhillips spoke to Sara Burnett, executive director of ReFED, a nonprofit working to end food waste, and Carla Schwan, associate professor and food safety specialist at the University of Georgia, to take a closer look at changes to food labeling and how you can save both your food and your money.
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