A data tracking agency said that the out-of-stock rate for formula increased to 43 percent last week from 40 percent the week before. The increase was substantial given that it was only between two and eight percent in the first half of the year.
The shortage has been particularly hard on the U.S., where milk products are domestically made. Experts blame pandemic supply chain issues and the halt of production at one of the largest factories in Michigan for the nationwide milk formula shortages.
Hardest-hit states
Daily Mail says that parents from Tennessee are the hardest hit by the shortage, with Delaware coming second. New analysis reveals that only 43 percent of the national supply is available. In Tennessee and Delaware however, 54 percent of the state's supply is out of stock. Texas is 52 percent.
Montana and Nevada are also hard hit.
Milk formula is more than 40 percent out of stock in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and 27 other states.
Colorado, New Mexico, and Indiana were only the states that have supply issues at less than 30 percent.
Datasembly found that more than half of the baby formula products were completely sold out in Iowa, South Dakota, North Dakota, Missouri, Texas, and Tennessee during the week of April 24.
The reason for the shortage
As per Time, there had been several factors a piled pressure on the national and global supply chains. The factors include staff shortages due to COVID-19 and increased demand for many products and services after the lockdown. The war in Ukraine and related international sanctions, and the shortage of some commodities added to the milk crisis pressure.
The milk problem however worsened when Abbott, producer of top U.S. brand Similac shut a major facility in Michigan and issued three product recalls in February due to contamination concerns.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reported that four babies got sick, including two who died after consuming formula milk from the said facility. FDA also reported that Abbott failed to maintain sanitary conditions in the factory. The agency is now being accused of responding to the milk contamination too slowly. Senators have also been calling to hasten the reopening of the Abbott plant.
Addressing the shortage
CBS News said that President Joe Biden has a plan to address the shortage.
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said that the President proposes increasing imports and working with retailers. She also said that the president also talked to the retailers to make sure that shelves are stocked.
Biden also plans to cut red tape to get more formula to store shelves quicker, aiding parents on federal programs to more easily purchase formula with their benefit plans, and cracking down on price gouging.
Abbott assured the public that it would take two weeks to restart formula production and six to eight weeks for the shelves to be filled with milk again.
In the meantime, the company suggests checking different stores as they may not have sold out as quite as bigger stores.
Related Article: 5 Little Milestones of Toddlers And What They Mean
