Policy:

Date labeling of produce is a federal law and is required across the USA on various products.

-Massachusetts has built on federal law and implemented a strict date policy.

-Main aim to reduce customer confusion with the different terms of date labelling and therefore reduce the amount of food being wasted.

-Secondary aim is increasing amount of food donated to people in need (e.g. homeless shelters, animal feed) that is past certain dates.

-Sales of certain goods e.g dairy, eggs, shellfish, meat and more past sell by dates is illegal however donation after the restricted date is acceptable. Donors given liabilty protection by the state for their efforts in reducing food waste.