Food Date Labeling Act standardizes the two types of dates that food makers voluntarily print on packaging. "Best If Used By" (or "BB") must be used whenever a manufacturer chooses to show a quality date — meaning the product is still safe but may decline in quality after that point. "Use By" (or "UB") must be used whenever a manufacturer shows a discard date — meaning the product should not be consumed after that date. Manufacturers still decide whether to include any date at all. Federal agencies must run consumer education campaigns within two years and finalize rules within two years; the requirements apply only to products labeled two or more years after enactment. States cannot add different or additional date-phrase requirements, but retain authority to prohibit sale of food past its discard date.
Average Household Impact
- Uniform food date labels — reduces consumer confusion about whether food is unsafe vs. past peak quality
- Consumer education campaign — requires federal outreach within 2 years on what the standardized labels mean
Congressional Summary
Food Date Labeling Act of 2025This bill establishes uniform requirements for quality and discard date phrases (e.g., best by and use by) placed voluntarily on food labels.Specifically, if a food is labeled with a quality date (i.e., the date after which the quality of the item may deteriorate), the label must include the phrase BEST If Used By or the abbreviation BB. Similarly, if a food is labeled with a discard date (i.e., the date after which the item should not be consumed), the label must include the phrase USE By or the abbreviation UB. Abbreviations may be used only if an item’s packaging is too small to fit the full phrase.Quality and discard dates must be written in a single, easy-to-read font and placed in a prominent location on an item’s label or package. The phrase or freeze by may be added after a quality or discard date phrase where appropriate.The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Department of Agriculture (USDA) must promulgate regulations to carry out these provisions and ensure that the uniform phrases are standardized across all food products. HHS and USDA may specify alternative quality and discard date phrases through regulations.The bill specifies that no state or local government may enforce a requirement related to quality and discard date phrases that differs from the requirements of the bill. The bill does not apply to infant formula, which is subject to separate labeling requirements under current law.
Details
- Congress
- 119th
- Chamber
- Senate
- Status
- summarized
- Action
- Introduced in Senate
- Action Date
- 2025-07-30
- Date Added
- 2026-06-03
- Source
- Congress.gov →
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