Access to baby milk safe in NZ

International food company Danone insists that New Zealand babies will not go hungry, as demand for high-quality baby formula peaks after a safety crackdown in China.

Its announcement comes as long queues formed outside some Australian stores as people bulkbought formula tins to send to Chinese buyers – often for substantial profit.

In the United States, the Walmart chain has installed cameras in its formula aisles to discourage shoplifting of what has become a precious commodity.

Other overseas retailers have also put formula behind locked glass cabinets, as well as introducing sales restrictions to control supply.

A safety overhaul in China saw about 1400 baby formula products pulled from store shelves last month, giving global brands the chance to grab a greater market share, Bloomberg reported.

French-based food giant Danone, which produces the Aptamil and Karicare brands, was among the companies set to capitalise on the Chinese crackdown.

While Chinese demand was ‘‘growing’’ and some Australians were experiencing ‘‘difficulty’’ sourcing its product, Danone assured New Zealand families they would have adequate supply.

‘‘We have taken strategic steps to enable us to meet the growing Asia Pacific market, as well as maintain a continuous supply for New Zealand and Australian families,’’ Danone Oceania general secretary Ailish Hanley said.

Danone said its formula was ‘‘always available’’ to Kiwi consumers on its retail website however customers were restricted to buying six tins a fortnight.

Countdown supermarkets also have a six-tin limit on buying baby formula – both online and in-store – a measure that has been in place for three years.

‘‘Our No 1 priority is to ensure our shelves are well stocked for our customers here in New Zealand,’’

‘‘We have taken strategic steps to ... maintain a continuous supply for New Zealand.’’ Danone Oceania general secretary Ailish Hanley

a spokeswoman said.

There are 15 New Zealand manufacturers exporting formula to China. Synlait, Fonterra and Yashili were among the first to have their recipes registered with China Food and Drug Administration (CFDA) – a regulation introduced last month.

A Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) spokeswoman said demand was increasing as new companies moved into highervalue products, and existing firms continued to grow.

MPI works with CFDA to help Kiwi companies register their products in what is a lucrative market for exporters – in the year to December 2017, Kiwi infant milk formula exports to China were valued at more than $423 million.

‘‘MPI’s role is to provide guidance to companies as they go through the [Chinese] process.’’

Countdown said our Government had ‘‘strict controls’’ around dairy exports, which involved the registration of exporters, transport, storage facilities and documentation to ensure products could be traced. ‘‘Not all countries operate these types of controls.’’

In 2008, six babies died and 300,000 were affected when baby formula produced in China by Sanlu – a company Fonterra had a stake in – was contaminated with melamine.