
Toronto parents searching for baby formula find empty shelves — again
CBC
Alanna Handelman relies on formula as the primary source of nutrients for her nine-month-old son, Chase. But in recent weeks, it's taken a lot of hunting to track down her usual brand.
Handelman said conversations with fellow parents in group chats and on play dates began turning to formula about two months ago.
"We started seeing bare shelves in stores like Shoppers Drug Mart, Loblaws and Metro, where our brand of formula that we're using, which is Enfamil A+, was just no longer available," Handelman said in an interview.
Nearly a year after a North America-wide formula shortage peaked last spring, some parents are once again scrambling to hunt down certain brands of formula.
In a statement, Health Canada said it is "aware that parents and caregivers continue to report difficulties locating particular products or formats."
While the department acknowledged the formula situation "is not completely back to normal," it said the total national supply is sufficient.
Health Canada said it is "doing everything it can" to ensure parents have access to the formula they need, including working directly with manufacturers to increase supply and to identify alternative products for import from other countries.
The department has extended an interim policy to the end of this year, which allows it to import equivalent formulas from other countries. It said more than 70 products have been authorized under that policy in the past year.
Earlier this month, Nestlé Good Start Soothe powdered formula was voluntarily recalled from the market. Perrigo, which operates Nestlé's formula plant, said in a statement that the recall accounted for less than 0.3 per cent of its annual formula volume.
Meanwhile, Enfamil's website says it is "urgently responding to an increase in demand for Enfamil A+," and understands that it's powdered product may be difficult to find.
Handelman said she was recently able to buy Enfamil A+ through an online pharmacy based in Nova Scotia, although the prices were "significantly higher" than what she usually pays.
Earlier this month, Handelman's sister, who lives in the U.S., bought formula for her and brought it to Toronto. Handelman said hunting down formula has been a "huge stressor," and she'd like to see the government focus more attention on the issue.
"At the end of the day we have two options. We have breast milk, which is not an option for all parents, and we have formula," she said.
"And if we can't go into our local store that's around the corner from our houses, or even within a 5 kilometre, 10 kilometre drive, and find the formula readily available on the shelves, then how are you doing anything to help parents?"