Testifying against the bill, Susan Connelly, manager, state affairs for Grocery Manufacturers of America, said the labeling requirements would increase costs, confuse consumers, and lead to a patchwork of state labeling requirements. Manufacturers that package foods for sale in multiple states with no “sell by” requirements would be forced to make separate runs for products intended for sale in New York. Food would be thrown out unnecessarily because consumers would mistakenly believe foods are unsafe to eat after the specified date, Connelly said.
