It bans the use of “sell by” labels on food packaging, which experts say act as a guide for retailers on how long to display products on the shelves but are not an indicator of whether they are still safe to consume. Now, manufacturers selling food in California must use two standardized labels — a “Best if Used By” label for peak quality and “Use By” label for product safety.
This is a good change that improves labeling for customers.
And exactly the same we have here in Denmark.
“Discard after” or “do not consume after”would be better for actual food safety, much more direct and literal. But there are plenty of times I’ve eaten something after the “use by” date - not a long time after, but the food was still good.
The problem is that you cannot guarantee a date for which something may go bad. It would end up still being a freshness date, because you can guarantee that. Semantics, I know, but could you imagine someone suing because a can of tuna was still edible despite its “do not consume” date?
But that was kinda my point, I understand that food can be good past a “use by”. But if people want to make it literally about safety there should be a “do not consume” date.
This is a good change that improves labeling for customers.
And exactly the same we have here in Denmark.
“Discard after” or “do not consume after”would be better for actual food safety, much more direct and literal. But there are plenty of times I’ve eaten something after the “use by” date - not a long time after, but the food was still good.
The problem is that you cannot guarantee a date for which something may go bad. It would end up still being a freshness date, because you can guarantee that. Semantics, I know, but could you imagine someone suing because a can of tuna was still edible despite its “do not consume” date?
People will sue for any reason.
But that was kinda my point, I understand that food can be good past a “use by”. But if people want to make it literally about safety there should be a “do not consume” date.
I’d like to have a label that detects if the food is still good. That would be nice.
Now if only the consumers could read
The industry gets a lot of leeway with “phrasing”. Most people don’t know that “best by” and “used by” was two different things.
If you have to trick people, then it should be illegal.