How Confusing Date Food Labels Are Hitting Your Wallet: Five Things to Know About Food Date Labels, Consumer Behavior, and Policy

Confusion over food date labels remains one of the most persistent, yet solvable, drivers of household food waste in the United States. At a time when grocery prices remain high and households are actively trying to save money, understanding how consumers use (and struggle with) date labels offers a critical opportunity to ensure food that is still edible—despite passing a mostly arbitrary date—is consumed rather than sent to the trash.

This is particularly relevant as the federal Food Date Labeling Act makes its way through the halls of Congress. The Food Date Labeling Act is a straightforward, bipartisan, and common sense bill that would cut through this confusion and help consumers save money. Research shows confusion over date labels leads to 4.3 million tons of food waste in the U.S. every year, costing American households and businesses more than $21 billion. This legislation would:

• Clarify that if food businesses choose to include a date label on their food product, they must use one of two standard date labels. They may select either:

  • a quality label, indicating the date after which a food product’s quality may deteriorate, using the phrase “BEST If Used By” or

  • a discard label, indicating the date after which a food product should be discarded, using the phrase “USE By.”

• Require the USDA and the FDA to work together to provide education on the meaning of the standardized date labels.

• Make donations of food past the quality date universally permissible, provided it meets safety specifications. This would be particularly helpful in the twenty states that currently restrict food past its date from either sale or donation, unlocking more food for both discount and donation purposes.

In January 2026, ReFED, in partnership with YouGov, conducted its first nationally representative survey of 1,000 U.S. consumers to better understand food waste behaviors and decision-making in the home. The survey covered a wide range of topics related to household food management.

Here are five things to know about how food date labels are used in the home, how they influence everyday decisions about when food gets eaten or thrown out, and what policy can do to help.

1. Nearly all consumers report using date labels when making decisions about food.

Date labels are deeply embedded in consumer decision-making, with 96% of respondents reporting that they use date labels, including “sell by,” “use by,” and/or “best by” dates to some extent. The survey data highlights that date labels remain a near-universal reference point across households, influencing decisions about when to use or discard food.

2. Consumers apply date labels differently depending on the food and (mis)interpret them in several ways.

Survey responses show that consumers interpret and use date labels differently across foods. Thirty-one percent of respondents report strictly following date labels for all foods, while a third say they only follow date labels for perceived high-risk items like meat, dairy, and eggs, where spoilage and food borne illnesses are more of a concern. Another 32% report using date labels as a general guideline across foods. Importantly, “following” a date label does not necessarily mean discarding food; rather it suggests that consumers are using the printed date as a primary signal when navigating food decisions and often misinterpreting them.

What a consumer feels is appropriate for one product may not feel appropriate for another, even when the label language is similar, highlighting potential confusion in the absence of a shared standard for how labels should guide decisions. These findings are in line with those of a February 2025 national survey conducted by The Harris Poll for ReFED, Harvard Law School Food Law and Policy Clinic, and Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. The overarching takeaway from that research is that consumer confusion has grown, with 43% of U.S. consumers saying they always or usually discard food near or past the label date (up from 37% in 2016).

3. Many households already use sensory checks, but date labels still have influence.

Consumers report relying on sensory cues alongside date labels when assessing whether food is still usable. Eighty-six percent say they smell food, 76% look at it, and 35% taste a small amount when determining whether food is safe to eat.

These findings show that consumers use their senses alongside date labels. However, the printed date can carry significant weight in final decisions about food use, particularly when consumers are unsure.

4. Consumers report trying to waste less food in response to higher grocery prices.

Rising costs and affordability are top of mind for many households. In response to current food prices, 77% of consumers who reported spending more on groceries compared to last year say they are more frequently checking and cooking what needs using up in their kitchen, and 55% of all respondents report throwing away less food than they did a year ago.. For the first time, these findings indicate that many households are actively trying to reduce food waste in response to higher food costs.

Open-ended survey responses reinforce that consumers are paying closer attention to date labels, seeking out foods with longer shelf lives, and actively planning how to use or preserve food before it expires. Responses included “I look for long expiration dates to help stretch the budget when buying in bulk” and showed that consumers are “checking expiration dates more carefully and swapping expensive recipe items for cheaper alternatives.”

5. Congress has the opportunity to help consumers save money and reduce waste by standardizing and clarifying date labels.

Taken together, the survey findings show that date labels are highly visible, widely used, and frequently confusing for consumers making everyday food decisions. Households are already trying to waste less food and manage costs, but inconsistent and unclear date labels can undermine those efforts. The Food Date Labeling Act can help solve this problem.

In addition to helping consumers save money and throw away less perfectly good food, the simpler date label scheme proposed in the legislation also helps retailers better manage their inventory and train workers. This policy change has broad industry support, including among major retailers, food industry players, and trade associations.

By passing this bill, Congress has the opportunity to create a win for consumers and for businesses.