PRESS RELEASE
Washington, DC – June 29, 2026
The implementation of California’s Assembly Bill (AB) 660 represents another significant step in the evolution of food labeling regulations in the United States and has sparked an important discussion regarding its impact on consumers, supermarkets, manufacturers, importers, and international exporters.
The Advisory Council of The Retail Chamber of Commerce (HRCOC) believes it is important to clarify that this legislation does not establish a new nutrition labeling system nor introduce new consumer health warnings. Instead, its primary purpose is to standardize the terminology used to communicate food quality and food safety dates, replacing the wide variety of date phrases currently used throughout the food industry.
Effective July 1, 2026, food products sold in California that display quality or safety date labels must use standardized terms such as:
- “BEST if Used By” to indicate product quality.
- “USE By” to indicate food safety.
As a result, commonly used phrases such as “Sell By,” “Freshest By,” “Best Before,” and other similar expressions will no longer be permitted on products covered by the law.
A Consumer-Focused Initiative
HRCOC recognizes that one of the primary objectives of AB 660 is to improve consumer understanding of food date labels.
Today, the food industry uses dozens of different terms to communicate freshness, quality, and shelf life. This inconsistency has caused many consumers to mistakenly interpret marketing or inventory dates as expiration dates, resulting in the unnecessary disposal of food that remains safe and suitable for consumption.
From this perspective, standardized date labeling may provide several important benefits:
- Greater clarity for consumers.
- Reduced confusion between commercial inventory dates and food safety dates.
- Lower levels of unnecessary food waste.
- Easier comparison of products across different brands.
- Improved understanding among Hispanic consumers, older adults, and other consumer groups that have historically faced greater difficulty interpreting food date labels.
Challenges for Supermarkets and the Food Industry
The implementation of AB 660 also presents operational challenges throughout the food supply chain.
Supermarkets will need to adapt several internal processes, including:
- Inventory management.
- Supplier coordination.
- System updates.
- Employee training.
- Compliance verification for products originating from other states and international markets.
While large national retail chains generally have centralized systems that facilitate regulatory transitions, independent supermarkets, regional distributors, and small businesses may face additional administrative responsibilities and implementation costs.
HRCOC believes these challenges should be addressed through industry education, technical assistance, and ongoing collaboration between regulators and the private sector.
Implications for Manufacturers, Importers, and Exporters
From HRCOC perspective, the greatest initial impact of AB 660 will fall on manufacturers, importers, and brand owners.
Companies exporting food products to California—including coffee, beverages, canned goods, snack foods, rice, ethnic foods, and other processed products—will need to carefully review their labeling practices to ensure compliance with the new requirements.
Many businesses may ultimately determine that adopting California’s labeling standards across all U.S. operations is more efficient than maintaining separate packaging formats for different markets.
California as a Regulatory Leader
California has once again positioned itself as a state capable of influencing national regulatory trends.
If AB 660 successfully reduces food waste, minimizes consumer confusion, and improves supply chain efficiency, other states may consider adopting similar legislation in the coming years.
HRCOC’s Institutional Perspective
The Retail Chamber of Commerce maintains a balanced and constructive position regarding California’s new food date labeling requirements.
We recognize that standardizing food quality and safety date terminology aligns with long-standing efforts to improve consumer understanding and reduce food waste.
At the same time, we acknowledge that every regulatory change requires operational adjustments by manufacturers, importers, distributors, and retailers—particularly small and medium-sized businesses that represent a vital part of the U.S. retail ecosystem.
Our assessment is that the law’s primary impact on the retail sector will be operational and administrative during the initial implementation period. Over the longer term, however, standardized labeling has the potential to reduce unnecessary product waste, improve consumers’ shopping experience, strengthen confidence in food labeling, and enhance inventory management throughout the retail supply chain.
Regardless of differing perspectives surrounding this legislation, the real challenge will be transforming regulatory compliance into an opportunity to strengthen industry competitiveness, build consumer trust, and improve the efficiency of the food supply chain.
As part of its member services, The Retail Chamber of Commerce serves as an Official FDA Registration Agent, supporting food manufacturers seeking access to the U.S. market. HRCOC will continue assisting supermarkets, manufacturers, distributors, importers, and exporters through regulatory information, FDA registration services, training programs, and strategic consulting while fostering ongoing collaboration between the private sector and regulatory agencies to ensure an orderly, efficient, and sustainable implementation process.
Content Developed by the HRCOC Advisory Council
The HRCOC Advisory Council is the strategic research, advisory, and consulting body of The Retail Chamber of Commerce. It is composed of senior retail executives and industry specialists with extensive experience in supermarket operations, market expansion, regulatory compliance, and profitability within the U.S. Hispanic retail sector. info@hispanicretailchamber.org
