Shortage of baby formula empties shelves nationwide
Connecticut parents left scrambling
In addition to all her other chores as the mother of a three-month-old girl, Kimberly Galiette regularly scours the Internet for baby formula.
It’s the latest among hardto-find items stretching back to the start of the pandemic and it’s particularly irksome for already-stressed parents of newborns.
“We have enough for a month currently but I go back to work soon and formula hunting is a full-time job as you all know,” Galiette said on a Facebook page established by Connecticut parents helping each other find baby formula.
Galiette, of Southington, has been on a 14-week maternity leave from her job as a manager of remote operations at ESPN and returns to work May 31. She said in an interview Wednesday she has enough to get through the middle of June.
Complicating her search is that her daughter requires an amino acid-based formula to avoid painful, bleeding rashes. Galiette said she puts holds on formula that she finds online, only to see them disappear as customers dive in on supplies that are limited by retailers.
She’ll travel to several Walmart stores to buy formula, but the cans are small, lasting two or three days and cost $60 to $70
each. Out-of-state friends and an aunt on Long Island help by snagging the hard-tofind baby food.
Out-of-stock infant formula continues to climb as a result of supply chain disruptions and an industry recall in February.
Datasembly, which provides real-time product pricing, promotions and data, said baby formula “out-of-stock rates” are climbing. Data show that in April baby formula shortages hit 30% and jumped to 40% at the end of the month.
Out of stock formula was at 43% for the week ending May 8, Datasembly said.
“This issue has been compounded by supply chain challenges, product recalls and historic inflation, Chief Executive Officer Ben Reich said. “The category
started to see stocking challenges beginning in July 2021, and the situation has continued to worsen into 2022.”
Supply chain disruptions tied to the coronavirus pandemic have fueled shortages of a wide range of consumer goods ranging from toilet paper to cars. The lack of baby formula worsened in February after manufacturer Abbott issued a recall for products made at a Michigan plant and sold under the Similac, Alimentum and Elecare labels.
To cope with a spike in demand, Walgreens Boots Alliance and CVS Health Corp. said they limit customers to three baby formula products per purchase and Target has imposed some online product limits, but in an email Wednesday was not
specific.
Abraham J. Khorasani, a pediatrician at Connecticut Children’s, recommends that parents who can’t find formula to ask their pediatrician to identify alternatives that are safe and provide the same nutrition.
He advised parents to avoid using home-made formulas or recipes using ingredients that have not been checked for safety. Nor should parents use less powder to make the formula last longer, he said. The child will not get nutrition, which could lead to health problems.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Tuesday the industry is working to maximize production, including stepping up processes and production schedules. Manufacturers also are setting priorities among product lines that are of greatest need, particularly specialty formulas, the agency said.
The FDA said Tuesday it is “not objecting to Abbott Nutrition releasing product to individuals needing urgent, life-sustaining supplies of certain specialty and metabolic formulas on a case-by-case basis that have been on hold at its Sturgis facility.”
U.S. Rep. Rosa Delauro, D-3, criticized the FDA for acting too slowly in response to accusations by a whistleblower about practices at Abbott’s Michigan plant. The FDA did not inspect the plant in person until the end of January, she said.
Abbott said its former employee was dismissed for serious violations of food safety policies. “After dismissal, the former employee, through their attorney, has made evolving, new and escalating allegations to multiple authorities,” the company said.
It said it will thoroughly investigate any new allegations.
Meanwhile, Galiette said she’s been able to find enough formula and hopes policymakers in Washington can prod the industry to untangle the supply chain knots.
“So far, I’ve been pretty lucky,” she said.