California’s New Food Date Labeling Law: What Brands Should Know Before July 1

Food date labels are getting a closer look as states, retailers, and consumers push for clearer packaging information and less food waste. For food brands selling into California, one of the most immediate changes is Assembly Bill 660, which takes effect July 1, 2026.

The law standardizes certain date-label language on food products and limits consumer-facing “sell by” language. For brands, this is not just a compliance topic. It is also a packaging planning issue that can affect artwork, label space, production timelines, inventory, and multi-state distribution.

As more states consider similar updates, now is a good time for food manufacturers, processors, private-label brands, and co-packers to review how date information appears on their packaging.

California AB 660 applies to food items for human consumption manufactured on or after July 1, 2026. If a food manufacturer, processor, or retailer responsible for labeling chooses to display a quality or safety date, or is otherwise required by law to display one, the label must use specific standardized terms.

The law identifies the following date-label language:

The law also prohibits selling or offering for sale in California a food item manufactured on or after July 1, 2026 that uses a quality or safety date label outside those requirements. It also restricts consumer-facing use of the phrase “sell by.” Coded sell-by information that is not easily readable by consumers and does not use the phrase “sell by” is not prohibited.

There are also important exceptions. AB 660 does not apply to infant formula, eggs or pasteurized in-shell eggs, beer, or other malt beverages. The law also does not require every food item to display a date label unless a date label is otherwise used or required.

Date labels may look like a small area of a package, but they often touch several parts of a brand’s operation.

For brands selling in California, this update may require artwork changes, label copy review, production planning, and coordination with retailers or co-packers. For national brands, the bigger question may be whether to create California-specific packaging or move toward more standardized date-label language across broader distribution.

The law is also part of a larger conversation around food waste and consumer understanding. Many shoppers read “sell by,” “best by,” and “use by” as if they all mean the same thing. In practice, these phrases can communicate different things to manufacturers, retailers, and consumers. California’s approach is designed to create a clearer distinction between quality dates and safety dates.

That clarity matters on the package. The date label should be easy to find, easy to read, and consistent with the rest of the product information. If consumers are being asked to understand new wording, packaging design needs to support that communication.

Brands preparing for AB 660 should look beyond the date phrase itself. A wording update can create a chain reaction across label files, print runs, inventory, and packaging formats.

Key questions to review include:

This is also a good moment to review version control. If some inventory uses older packaging and newer production uses revised artwork, teams need a clear way to prevent confusion between label versions. That is especially important for brands with multiple facilities, frequent SKU updates, seasonal products, or private-label programs.

Packaging updates tied to regulatory changes often take longer than expected. Even when the copy change is simple, the process may involve approvals from legal, quality, regulatory, marketing, operations, and retail partners.

Brands should also consider the timing of printed label inventory. If a product manufactured on or after July 1, 2026 needs updated date-label language, older label stock may no longer be appropriate for that production. Waiting too long can create rush orders, obsolete inventory, or delays in getting products to market.

For pressure sensitive labels, flexible packaging, shrink sleeves, and other printed formats, early planning can help determine whether the change requires a minor copy update, a new dieline review, a different date-code area, or a broader packaging refresh.

AB 660 is a useful reminder that packaging information should be reviewed regularly, especially for brands selling across multiple states.

Food brands can start with a simple readiness check:

Brands should also monitor whether other states move toward similar date-label standards. New York, for example, has recently considered legislation that would also simplify food date labels. Even if requirements differ by state, the trend is clear: consumers, regulators, and retailers want packaging language that is easier to understand.

At Inovar Packaging Group, we help food and beverage brands manage label updates with the right balance of clarity, print quality, and production efficiency. Whether a customer needs pressure sensitive labels, shrink sleeves, flexible packaging, or support across multiple SKUs, our team can help evaluate how label changes affect artwork, materials, timelines, and version control.

For regulatory-driven packaging updates, an experienced label partner can help brands prepare earlier, reduce rework, and keep production moving. Inovar can support the print and production side of the process while your internal team confirms final compliance language with the appropriate regulatory experts.

California’s new food date labeling law is a timely reason for brands to review packaging before the next print run. The most important step is to understand which products are affected, confirm the correct language, and plan label updates before production deadlines create pressure.

As date-label standards continue to evolve, clear packaging will help brands support compliance, reduce confusion, and build trust with consumers.