Food Date Labeling Act of 2025
Sponsored By: Representative Rep. Pingree, Chellie [D-ME-1]
Introduced
Summary
This bill would create a nationwide system of clear, uniform food date labels to reduce consumer confusion and standardize when foods are described as past quality versus unsafe to eat. It would require standard phrases like "BEST If Used By" and "USE By" (with permitted abbreviations "BB" and "UB"), set readable placement and date formats, allow smart labels and QR codes, and add enforcement and penalties tied to existing food laws.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 3 mixed.
Two-year rollout and consumer education
The agencies would need to issue final rules within two years of enactment. They would also need to teach consumers what quality and discard dates mean within that same two-year window. The new label rules would apply only to foods labeled on or after that date. This timing would give businesses time to update packaging and help shoppers learn the terms.
Stronger enforcement for bad date labels
If labels use date phrases but do not meet these rules, the food would be treated as misbranded under FDA, meat, poultry, and egg laws. Regulators could act against false or non‑standard date labels. This would apply to foods labeled two years after enactment.
Uniform date labels on food
The bill would set simple, uniform date phrases on food labels when companies choose to use them. A quality date would need to say "BEST If Used By" and a discard date would need to say "USE By" (or "BB" and "UB" only on very small packages or if later rules allow). Dates would have to be easy to read, in a clear spot, and shown as month-year or month-day-year. Time–temperature indicators, QR codes, and smart labels could be used, and "or freeze by" could be added. USDA would handle meat, poultry, and eggs, and FDA would handle other foods. These rules would apply to foods labeled two years after enactment.
National rules override most state labels
The bill would block state or local rules that require different or extra date phrases. States could not ban sales or donations just because a quality date passed. States could still stop sale or donation after a discard date. Infant formula rules would not change, and common‑law rights would remain. This would apply to foods labeled two years after enactment.
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Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Rep. Pingree, Chellie [D-ME-1]
ME • D
Cosponsors
Rep. Newhouse, Dan [R-WA-4]
WA • R
Sponsored 8/15/2025
Rep. Tonko, Paul [D-NY-20]
NY • D
Sponsored 10/8/2025
Riley (NY)
NY • D
Sponsored 10/8/2025
Rep. Schakowsky, Janice D. [D-IL-9]
IL • D
Sponsored 10/8/2025
Rep. Casten, Sean [D-IL-6]
IL • D
Sponsored 10/10/2025
Rep. Lawler, Michael [R-NY-17]
NY • R
Sponsored 10/10/2025
Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12]
MI • D
Sponsored 10/14/2025
Rep. Frankel, Lois [D-FL-22]
FL • D
Sponsored 10/28/2025
Bresnahan
PA • R
Sponsored 12/18/2025
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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