Food Date Labeling Act of 2025
Summary
The Food Date Labeling Act of 2025 aims to standardize the use of quality and discard date phrases on food labels. It establishes uniform phrases like "BEST If Used By" for quality and "USE By" for discard dates, while allowing flexibility for smaller packaging and the use of technologies like QR codes. The Act tasks the Secretaries of Agriculture and Health and Human Services with consumer education and outreach, and it preempts state laws that conflict with the federal standards, but does not affect state laws prohibiting sale or donation of food after the discard date.
Expected Effects
This act will likely lead to greater clarity for consumers regarding food quality and safety. Standardized labeling could reduce food waste by helping consumers better understand the meaning of date labels. It also gives food producers flexibility in how they apply these labels.
Potential Benefits
- Reduced consumer confusion regarding food date labels.
- Potential reduction in food waste due to clearer labeling.
- Flexibility for food manufacturers in choosing whether to include date labels.
- Encourages innovation in labeling technology (e.g., QR codes).
- Increased consumer education on the meaning of date labels.
Potential Disadvantages
- Potential for increased costs for food manufacturers to update labeling.
- Preemption of state laws could limit states' ability to address food labeling issues.
- The Act does not mandate date labeling, potentially limiting its overall impact.
- Enforcement may be challenging, requiring coordination between multiple agencies.
- Consumer education efforts may not be sufficient to fully address confusion.
Constitutional Alignment
The Act appears to align with the Commerce Clause (Article I, Section 8, Clause 3) by regulating interstate commerce in food products. It also aligns with the Necessary and Proper Clause (Article I, Section 8, Clause 18) as it enacts regulations to carry out the powers vested in the government by the Constitution. The Act does not appear to infringe upon any specific individual rights or liberties protected by the Bill of Rights.
Impact Assessment: Things You Care About ⓘ
This action has been evaluated across 19 key areas that matter to you. Scores range from 1 (highly disadvantageous) to 5 (highly beneficial).