No More 'Sell By' Dates in California... What Does It Mean?!

Waste less by knowing more! Your waste... uncovered!

Times are a changing, no more sell by dates in California. We have all had the experience when you pick up an item at a grocery store, check the date on it, and think "... what does that mean again..." 

• Does it mean that I shouldn’t buy it if it's after that date?
• Should I not eat it if it's after that date?
• Is it just not as fresh if it's past the date?

Well, thanks to a new California Law (AB 660) that went into effect in July 2026, consumers are finally getting more clarity on date labeling. And it's good timing, as those confusing sell by date consumer labels are a huge contributor to the massive food waste generated in California.

According to the state's agency overseeing all the states’ waste, CalRecycle, “...organic waste is 48% of what California throws in landfills, by weight, including 2.5 billion meals worth of unspoiled food a year” and California’s Against Waste research findings showed "20% of all avoidable food waste is caused by consumer confusion over expiration dates."

So say goodbye to the confusing sell by dates that have historically misled consumers into believing these were safety cutoffs and either not purchasing the labeled product or throwing away unspoiled groceries. You will still see dates, but instead of one of the over 50 different labels out there, the consumer-facing ones will now be limited to “Best By” to indicate quality freshness and “Use By” to indicate product safety (when applicable). 

And while we are at it, we want to give you a bit of a cheat sheet on how to read the dates on Re-Up's returnable products (dairy and more) in the refrigerated section at the refill shop. 

Unlike the rigid and often misleading dates of the past, all dates on all the perishable products at Re-Up are “best by dates”. For most of our products, especially if sealed, we expect them to be fresh and safe well past the dates indicated on them. It depends on the product, whether it's opened, whether it's fermented, etc. For example, soups generally last a couple of weeks past the best by date and milks around a week+. In our household, we like to use the smell and taste tests if we are unsure, but hey, to each their own :) 

So get ready to read date labels on products with fresh eyes and see you at the shop soon!