California Unifies Food Date Labeling Standards, Virginia Bans Foam Food Containers
On July 1, 2026, multiple U.S. states will simultaneously enact a batch of packaging-related regulations: California prohibits the use of "sell by" labels and unifies quality and safety date terms; Virginia expands the polystyrene foam food container ban to all food providers; Connecticut imposes labeling requirements on products containing PFAS; Washington state's producer responsibility organization registration deadline arrives.
At the beginning of 2026, multiple new regulations involving packaging such as plastic bags, bottles, and cans have taken effect in the United States. Another batch of new regulations will be implemented on July 1. The following are legal and regulatory developments that packaging industry stakeholders need to pay attention to:
California standardizes food date label language
Bill AB 660, passed in 2024, aims to reduce food waste. Starting July 1, the state prohibits the use of the phrase "sell by" on food labels. For quality dates, the allowed label language is "BEST if Used by" or "BEST if Used or Frozen by"; for safety dates, "USE by" or "USE by or Freeze by" must be used.
Virginia bans EPS foam food containers
Starting July 1, all food suppliers in Virginia—including restaurants, stores, schools, and food trucks—must comply with theexpanded polystyrene container ban. This is the second phase of the ban's expansion: a year ago, the ban only applied to suppliers with 20 or more locations in Virginia. The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality encourages the use of reusable materials, paper, metal, or PET alternatives. Local governments may grant exemptions if suppliers can demonstrate that the policy causes them undue economic hardship.
PFAS regulations tighten
Connecticut has largely banned the intentional addition of PFAS in various products, including clothing, cookware, and cleaning products. However, if a notice is submitted to the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, products containing PFAS must be labeled according to specifications. The followinglabel phraseshave been approved: "Contains PFAS", "Made with PFAS", "Made with PFAS chemicals", "Made with intentionally added PFAS", "This product contains PFAS", and "Contains PFAS in Internal Components".
Washington State EPR registration deadline
July 1 is the deadline for producers in Washington State to register with a Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO). Washington State has designatedCircular Action Allianceas its official PRO.