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S2541119th CongressWALLET

Food Date Labeling Act of 2025

Sponsored By: Senator Richard Blumenthal

Introduced

Summary

Standardized date-label phrases would create a single set of terms for when packaged foods start losing quality and when they should be discarded. The bill would also build a federal framework so the Agriculture and Health and Human Services leaders coordinate rules and outreach.

Show full summary
  • Families and shoppers would get clearer, consistent terms on packaging and federal consumer education explaining the difference between quality and discard dates within two years.
  • Food labelers and producers could choose whether to print quality or discard dates but would need to use the uniform phrases if they do; misbranding rules would cover poultry, meat, and egg products and final regulations are to be issued within two years.
  • States and localities could not impose different or extra date-label requirements and could not bar the sale or donation of food solely because of a discard date.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

5 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 3 mixed.

Stronger enforcement for bad date labels

If enacted, FDA and USDA could treat date labels that do not follow the rules as misbranded. That would let officials require fixes or remove noncompliant products from the market. The change would apply to foods and to meat, poultry, and egg products labeled two years after enactment.

Federal rules and consumer outreach

If enacted, USDA and HHS would write joint final rules and consumer education on date labels within two years. Those rules would apply only to products labeled two years after enactment. The bill would also state that HHS could not use this law to force new quality or discard date labels beyond the Act's labeling subsections.

States barred from different date rules

If enacted, states and local governments could not require different or extra quality or discard date phrases covered by this law. States could not ban sale or donation because of a quality date. States could still ban sale or donation based on a discard date. States could set date-label rules only if those rules use the federal uniform phrases.

Uniform food date label rules

If enacted, labelers who put dates on packaged food would have to use set phrases and a clear format. Dates would show month and year or month, day, and year, in an easy-to-read place. Small packages could use "BB" or "UB" instead of the full phrase. Labelers could add "or freeze by" and could use QR codes, smart labels, or time-temperature indicators.

Private legal claims kept intact

If enacted, the bill would not stop state or federal common-law claims or FTC remedies about date labels. People and businesses could still sue over misleading or harmful labels even where federal label rules apply.

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Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Richard Blumenthal

CT • D

Cosponsors

  • Sen. Scott, Rick [R-FL]

    FL • R

    Sponsored 7/30/2025

  • Andy Kim

    NJ • D

    Sponsored 11/7/2025

  • Sen. Coons, Christopher A. [D-DE]

    DE • D

    Sponsored 3/9/2026

  • Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA]

    MA • D

    Sponsored 3/9/2026

  • Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR]

    OR • D

    Sponsored 3/9/2026

  • Sen. Alsobrooks, Angela D. [D-MD]

    MD • D

    Sponsored 3/19/2026

  • Sen. Schiff, Adam B. [D-CA]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 3/17/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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