Seeking right formula

P.E.I. shelves empty of some baby formulas after shortage prompted by U.S. recall

Some P.E.I. parents are feeling the effects of the U.S. baby food shortage as many struggle to find specific formulas to fit their baby's medical needs.

Deanna Walker, a mother from Mount Stewart, said she was only able to find her son's recommended formula twice since she was told to start formula feeding her son a few months ago by his doctor.

Walker said she had originally been breastfeeding her son Naveen, who was born premature, but was told to switch to Similac Advanced formula to help bulk him up.

“They wanted him on that because he was not gaining enough weight quickly,” she said. “I drove to the other side of Charlottetown and couldn't find it, so I contacted my doctor and he told me to just get Similac without the extra calories so we could keep him on the same brand, because that is what his stomach knows. I couldn't find that either, though.”

Walker's son relies on liquid concentrate formula, as their doctor recommended not using powdered formula because it is not sterile and can contain bacteria that could make premature babies sick, she said.

When she couldn't find liquid concentrate Similac, she had to resort to a more expensive formula.

“We had to get a few cases of the ready serve stuff (premixed formula) because the liquid concentrate was completely out,” said Walker. “The ready serve does not go

“The ready serve does not go near as far as the concentrate does.” Deanna Walker

near as far as the concentrate does.”

Walker attributed her difficulties finding the formula she needed to a February recall of Similac powdered formulas, which has created a shortage of formula felt throughout the U.S.

RECALLED AFTER ILLNESS

The formulas, created by Abbott, were recalled after four children in the states fell ill with bacterial infections, resulting in two dying, as reported by The Washington Post on May 11.

“We started (formula) right in the middle of the Similac recall for that one specific kind,” said Walker.

“Doctors tell you if you can't get the same type, stick with the same brand, but when the recall happened, people were scooping up the other stuff. It's been hard to find since then.”

While the formula shortage hasn't had the same effect on Canada as it has in the U.S., some supermarkets are having troubles stocking their shelves with specific formulas.

“It depends. Some retailers are reporting the majority of this section of their SKUS in their stores, being baby formula, is well stocked,” said Jim Cormier, director of government relations for the Retail Council of Canada.

“For others, though, formula supply has been an ongoing issue really since the middle of 2021, and it's been considerably worse since the closure of Abbott Nutrition, a big producer of this product.”

The February shutdown of Abbott's Michigan plant resulted in the recall of 24 different Abbott products, removing a vast majority of their Similac powdered formulas from production, said Cormier.

This has left all but three Abbott-made formulas with to be determined arrival times to Canadian stores, he said.

“When you have a major producer of a product that has been pretty well shut down due to product recall, it does have a very significant impact,” said Cormier.

“We are under the understanding that they are getting back up and going again. We understand once the plant comes online though, it'll take six to eight weeks for products to hit the shelves.”

NO SUBSTITUTE

Cormier also said special formulas that don't have a substitution have been impacted over the last nine months.

Overall, baby formula stock in Canada has been affected by the recall, supply chain slowdowns and raw ingredient shortages such as sunflower oil. However, not every Canadian retailer has felt the same impact of these shortages, said Cormier.

“Retailers have their own ways (of navigating) the supply chain, so the impact of the Abbott closure in particular can vary from one retailer to another. Some have been able to pivot and find other suppliers while others haven't been as successful, so we encourage people to look around.”

Cormier said some alternatives can be found at grocery retailers, as many of them carry private label brands that are made by other competitors.

Cormier also cautioned anyone who does find their preferred formula from panic buying remaining supplies.

“Hopefully people will understand that approach doesn't help anyone and that if they do come across the formula they want or need, they try to ensure they buy only what they need,” he said.

SEARCH CONTINUES

For Walker though, finding the recommended formula or similar formulas under the Similac brand became so infrequent, she reached out to local mom groups on Facebook to see if anyone else had extra Similac formula sitting around.

However, despite getting some from other moms, Walker said she exhausted her supplies of Similac and had to switch to another brand.

“(Naveen's) stomach didn't like it much as first,” she said.

“We ended up at the ER at one point and they had to do an X-ray to make sure there were no obstructions or anything because his stomach didn't agree with the quick change and they thought he was constipated. I didn't have much of a choice, though, it was either switch him or don't feed him.”

While the new brand tends to be in stock more often, Walker said she still runs into issues finding it on shelves at some stores.

“It's still not the easiest,” she said.

“I usually shop in the Stratford-charlottetown area because we live 20 minutes from town. Last time we bought it, I couldn't find it anywhere in Charlottetown and ended up driving up to Montague to find some.

“At least I found some, that is what I was excited for.”