A shortage in baby formula continues to plague Michigan parents.
This comes as supply chains continue struggling with pandemic lags and about three months after health care company Abbott recalled some of its powdered formula.
The short supply has some families looking to local food pantries for assistance, but many say their hands are tied.
The pandemic has triggered supply chain disruptions from computer chips to toilet paper. Add baby formula to the list. A national shortage reaching ‘crisis’ level.
“It’s not like changing laundry detergent or hand soap when what you want isn’t available. This makes up a huge part of a baby’s diet. When they’re infants that’s all they consume.”
Shay Kovacs speaks from experience. She’s a mother to an infant feeding on formula and programs manager at Feeding America West Michigan. The national food bank is one of the largest distributors of second chance food, giving out 18-30 million pounds per year. But Kovacs says next to none of that is baby formula. High prices are making it almost impossible for the nonprofit to get its hands on.
“We can’t even get a good enough deal on them to provide them. So, the only times we’re able to provide baby formula on a regular basis is if and when we get it donated which I can tell ya in my six years here has been very infrequently.”
This leaves many parents depending on food pantries struggling to make due. Grocery aisles are scarce, and available formula is financially out of reach.
“Clients tell us they water down the formula to make it go further well the baby isn’t going to get the nutrients they need because the formula is watered down, but families have no choice.”
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services estimates families can spend up to $1,500 on formula in a baby’s first year. Speaking as a mother, Kovacs calls the industry predatory.
“It’s a much deeper issue that well there was a recall and now there’s a shortage. I think we really should be talking about how something so simple as one formula plant shutting down really can throw vulnerable families off kilter.”
Kovacs says parents can try baby pantries, which specialize in infant goods, but notes they’ve been declining due to high prices. Government assistance programs also try to mitigate these costs for families who qualify, but for the families who don’t she says it’s a scary place to be.