Baby formula shortage getting worse despite White House intervention
Biden admin is quiet after formula brand Enfamil announced shortages will last until Spring
FOX Business’ Lydia Hu reports from Montclair, New Jersey on the latest news emerging from the nation’s ongoing baby formula shortage on ‘Varney & Co.’
The baby formula shortage keeps getting worse.
One parent from Keystone, Florida, said it's been "crazy" – especially for parents in need of a popular hypoallergenic and lactose-free formula.
BABY FORMULA STILL HARD TO FIND NEARLY A YEAR AFTER SHORTAGE BEGAN
"We have been getting less powder, Nutramigen. So, whatever I have, I'm kind of like, can I just feed him less? But then it's like, you can't feed a child less because that's not fair to them," mother Ellie Johnston told FOX Business.
Her comments come as Reckitt, the maker of the popular baby formula brand Enfamil, recently announced that they are expecting shortages to last until spring.
Operation Fly Formula transported formula across the U.S. until September. (Photo by SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images / Getty Images)
The shortage began earlier this year when Abbott Nutrition plant in Sturgis, Michigan, was shut down due to reports of infants being hospitalized after consuming products from the facility.
In response to the shortage, the Biden administration launched "Operation Fly Formula" intended to boost supply. However, the last transport occurred in September.
The White House did not respond to FOX Business' request to comment on whether parents can expect more shipments in the future.
‘Baby formula search and swap’ creator Hannah Kroll joined ‘Varney & Co.’ to discuss the ongoing baby formula shortage that is reportedly going to extend until Spring.
During a separate appearance on "Varney & Co." last week, mother of two Hannah Kroll, also shared concerns over purchasing limits in stores to prevent panic buying.
"Parents can only buy two to four containers of formula at a time, depending on the store and those rules. That lasts a family about a week, a week and a half," she explained.
She also said parents are not able to substitute certain brands, namely those in need of hypoallergenic formulas.
"Parents whose children are on Alimentum formulas or hypoallergenic formulas are not able to switch – and right now those are the ones that we are very much missing," she stressed.
Despite the chaos, some businesses have seen a boom from parents' desperation. FindMyBabyFormula.com has seen a massive spike in enrollment with more than 7,000 new members in the past few weeks. They also pointed out that more than 60% of requests are for Nutramagen.
President Biden took heat from the liberal media last week. (AP) Store shelves are empty after a baby formula shortage. (AP Newsroom; Fox News Digital / AP Newsroom)
Enfamil did not return FOX Business' request for comment over supply issues.
Kroll also noted that in May she launched Facebook group "Baby Formula Search and Swap" to help parents across the nation.