Baby formula crisis WORSENS as out-of-stock levels hit 30%

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Baby formula crisis WORSENS as out-of-stock levels hit 30%: Parents accuse Biden of forgetting about them and mom struggling to feed twins says 'I'm sure these politicians' babies eat'


The US reported a 30% out-of-stock rate for formula nationwide, based on data from the week ended July 24

Arizona and Wyoming reported the highest out-of-stock rates in the country, at 44% and 42% respectively

Biden tried to alleviate the crisis by making it it easier for foreign manufacturers to get shipments into the US

Regardless, parents struggling to feed their babies feel like the Administration 'just forgot' about the crisis

Amber Bergeron, who took to Facebook about the hardships of finding formula for her preemie twins, has described the ongoing crisis as 'disgusting,' noting she is 'sure these politicians' babies eat

Chris Arroyo, whose daughter needs a speciality formula, said he is frustrated that the Administration keeps giving families the vague timeline of 'upcoming weeks' when discussing solutions to the ongoing shortage

The rising out-of-stock rates come as it was revealed Abbott Laboratories, the largest formula producer in the US, was hit with another lawsuit this week by a parent alleging their products contributed to a baby death

A new report also revealed the FDA started probing the factory after a stun gun was deployed at the facility and a fed-up employee complained about plant safety

By NATASHA ANDERSON FOR DAILYMAIL.COM



PUBLISHED: 02:10 EDT, 30 July 2022 | UPDATED: 10:07 EDT, 30 July 2022


The nationwide baby formula shortage has worsened with 30 percent of all brands reported out-of-stock, despite President Joe Biden's efforts to make infant milk more accessible.



Families in Arizona and Wyoming have been hardest hit by the shortage with out-of-stock rates at 44 percent and 42 percent, respectively.



Biden and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have made it easier for foreign manufacturers to get shipments into the country, and appealed to companies such as Nestle and Reckitt to step up production.



French consumer goods company Danone on Wednesday said it had shipped more than 750,000 cans of its flagship Aptamil baby formula to the U.S. from Europe, with another 550,000 cans on the way.



However, parents struggling to feed their children have slammed the administration, with one Louisiana mom alleging it seems like those in power 'just forgot' about the ongoing crisis.



Amber Bergeron, who took to Facebook about the hardships of finding formula for her preemie twins, has described the ongoing crisis as 'disgusting,' noting she is 'sure these politicians' babies eat.'



Amber Bergeron, who took to Facebook about the hardships of finding formula for her preemie twins Sky and Storm (pictured), has described the ongoing crisis as 'disgusting,' noting she is 'sure these politicians' babies eat'

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Amber Bergeron, who took to Facebook about the hardships of finding formula for her preemie twins Sky and Storm (pictured), has described the ongoing crisis as 'disgusting,' noting she is 'sure these politicians' babies eat'



In-stock rates of infant formula remain far below normal levels, despite recent trends showing a rise in formula inventory.



The nation reported a 30 percent out-of-stock rate on Friday, based on data from the week ended July 24. The week prior, ending July 17, the out-of-stock rate was 32 percent.



Biden's solution to the ongoing shortage has been to fly in foreign formula to try to plug the gap, but the 802,446 bottles that arrive per shipment barely line the stomachs of the 3 million babies born every year.



Danone, who has agreed to supply 1.3 million cans of Aptamil to the U.S., shipped out more than 750,000 this week. The initial shipments are already on shelves and online at Walgreens, Safeway and some other retailers.



The additional 550,000 cans that are en route from New Zealand will likely be available in August, the company claims.



Danone also imported more than 500,000 cans of Neocate, a specialized medical baby formula.



The Biden Administration revealed last week that as of July 24, the Operation Fly Formula program has transported the equivalent of 61 million 8-ounce bottles of formula into the U.S.



But Bergeron - like many other parents - fears the efforts aren't enough.



'We were put in a position that no mothers should be put in,' she previously told Fox News. 'We feel helpless. We feel like, as a community, we are trying to take care of this instead of [the right people] stepping in.



'People are not paying attention to what’s really going on here and the severity of it, but it’s still happening. It’s like they just forgot.'



Bergeron's family was first impacted by the shortage shortly after her twins Sky and Storm were born on April 10, four weeks premature.



She was unable to find the formula brand that provided the higher nutrition levels necessary for preemie babies and was forced to switch her twins to another less sufficient product.



After she ran out of formula, she resorted to buying the product from another mom she met on Facebook.



'Formula is not something that should be gone without and the fact that we have had problems feeding our babies and it’s going on nationally, that’s ridiculous,' she said.



'That’s disgusting to me because I’m sure these politicians' babies eat. I’m sure they find a way.'

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