'It's a necessary product': Some parents still struggling to find infant formula
When Alicia Willar became a first-time mom in September, she knew she'd have a lot of new experiences.
However, she didn't expect struggling to find baby formula for her daughter would be one of them.
“And then all of the sudden I started her on formula and I was finding it hard to find,” says Willar. “I logged into the mom groups and it's a problem that we're all facing.”
Twelve-week-old Autumn has lactose sensitivity, which means Willar needs a particular type of formula.
She recently managed to find two tubs of her preferred store brand after a dash to a local Walmart, but once she runs out, she may have to switch to what she can find.
“But some moms, their babies are so sensitive, they're not able to do so, and some just can't afford it, because it's three times the price of the store brand,” says Willar.
Experts say the lack of formula on the shelves is continuing fallout from a critical shortage earlier this year after major U.S. manufacturer Abbott Laboratories, which makes the Similac, Alimentum and EleCare varieties, had to temporarily shut down its plant in Sturgis, Mich., due to bacteria contamination. That led the company to voluntarily recall powered formulas.
With those products pulled from shelves, the makers of generic store brands then struggled to make up the difference.
“There's some products out there, but prices have jumped dramatically because of supply chain pressures,” says Sylvain Charlebois of the Dalhousie Agri-Food Analytics Lab.
Charlebois says Canadian retailers rely on those manufacturers south of the border, and those companies are now focusing on restocking domestic retailers first.
Earlier this year, Health Canada approved some formulas to be imported from both the U.S. and the Netherlands to alleviate shortages, a measure that has been extended until the end of next year.
“Unfortunately, the bad news is that we're expecting shortages to continue, until probably mid-2023,” says Charlebois.
Health Canada says any parent having trouble finding their usual formula should speak to a health professional about available alternatives.
It also warns parents not to make homemade formula, or water down formula, which both can put a child's health at risk.
The Retail Council of Canada says stores are doing what they can make sure there’s supply available.
“Things are getting better, but we're still supply-chain challenged,” says Atlantic director Jim Cormier.
“We are hearing that hypoallergenic infant formula product, they’ve returned to the shelves, amino acid formulas are still available but behind the counter,” he adds.
Cormier says some stores may have to limit purchase amounts for now.
“Buy what you need and ensure there is enough there for everybody,” he says. “Because obviously when it comes to infant formula, that’s a necessary product.
In the meantime, Willar and other parents have connected in an online Facebook group, called “Formula Nova Scotia,” to help each other find what they need.
“We post photos of the store that we’re currently at, and what’s in stock there,” she says.
Something they may have to keep doing for at least another year.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
Full parole granted to man convicted in notorious 'McDonald's murders' in Cape Breton
The Parole Board of Canada has granted full parole to one of three men convicted in the brutal murders of three McDonald's restaurant workers in Cape Breton more than 30 years ago.
Rainfall warnings of up to 80 mm among weather alerts in effect for 6 provinces
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 millimetres and other alerts have been issued for six Canadian provinces, according to the latest forecasts.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Bus plunges off a bridge in South Africa, killing 45 people. An 8-year-old child is only survivor
A bus carrying worshippers headed to an Easter festival plunged off a bridge on a mountain pass and burst into flames in South Africa on Thursday, killing at least 45 people, authorities said.
Calgary bridges remain closed due to ongoing police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.