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Did the milk expire? California bans 'sell by' food labels to cut food waste
By AP at ABC7 News (KGO-TV, ABC)
· July 1, 2026
· 1 min read
California has banned 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.
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About this story
Original reporting by ABC7 News (KGO-TV, ABC) . The San Francisco surfaces reporting from trusted publishers and adds local editorial context so readers can quickly understand what a story means for their community. We attribute every source, link to the original report, and follow a documented editorial standards policy. To understand how stories are selected and reviewed, read our about page .
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Category: local ·
Published: July 1, 2026 ·
Source: ABC7 News (KGO-TV, ABC) ·
Reading time: 1 min
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Frequently asked about this story
What is this story about? California has banned 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.
When was this published? This article was first published on July 1, 2026 by ABC7 News (KGO-TV, ABC) and curated for The San Francisco readers.
Who reported this story? This story was reported by AP at ABC7 News (KGO-TV, ABC). To learn more about how The San Francisco selects and reviews stories, see our editorial standards .
Where can I find related coverage? See more local coverage from The San Francisco, or browse our daily briefing and topic hubs .
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