In a state that dumps 6 million tons of edible food a year, lawmakers are betting that two plain-English stamps can change garbage habits.

California is making food labels less confusing by banning "sell by" dates. The new law starting Wednesday requires manufacturers to use just two labels: "Best if Used By" for…

The measure was signed into law in 2024 after lawmakers argued the variety of food date labels had become a source of consumer confusion.