Top: Graphic by Doug Pinkerton

The Food Date Labeling Act (FDLA) was introduced in Congress at the end of July. The bill would establish two clear, standardized labels: “Best If Used By” for quality and “Use By” for safety, in an effort to help American families avoid unnecessary food disposal, save consumers money, boost food donation efforts, and reduce environmental harm caused by food waste. “This will be the fourth time it’s introduced, but three things are different and hopeful this time around,” says Dana Gunders, president of ReFED. “This is the first time there is a Republican co-sponsor in the Senate — Senator Rick Scott (R-Fl.) — making the FDLA a a truly bipartisan bill, with Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Ct.) also sponsoring in the Senate, and Representative Chellie Pingree (D-Me.) and Representative Dan Newhouse (R-Wa.) in the House. Second, the bill has more industry support than ever. For the first time, the Consumer Brands Association (CBA) has endorsed it, saying: ‘A streamlined and standardized approach to wording accompanying date labels on packages increases consumer confidence in the quality and safety of products.’” The CBA represents manufacturers of packaged consumer goods, including food and beverages.

The third difference, adds Gunders, is that “we are one year away from California’s law to standardize date labels going into effect. In the meantime, nine other states have introduced similar (yet slightly different) bills related to standardizing date labeling. A Federal law would be the best way to avoid a mishmash of new state laws that are not exactly aligned.”