Does cvs sell baby food

Why Is a Baby Formula Shortage Formula Hitting Shelves in 2022? – NBC 6 South Florida

The baby formula shortage in the U.S. is getting worse in some states, with many retailers now limiting sales per customer as they continue to struggle to restock store shelves.

CVS and Walgreens confirmed to NBC News that customers would be limited to three baby formula products per purchase in-store and online.

"Due to increased demand and various supplier challenges, infant and toddler formulas are seeing constraints across the country," Walgreens said in a statement to NBC News. "Similar to other retailers, we put into effect purchase limits of three per transaction on all infant and toddler formula to help improve inventory. We continue to work diligently with our supplier partners to best meet customer demands."

The New York Times reports that Target is also imposing purchase limitations on baby formulas, but only for online sales with no limits in-store. Costco has caps on formulas listed on its website.

So, what's causing the baby formula shortage and when can parents expect to see supply levels return to normal?

Why is there a baby formula shortage?

Ongoing supply-chain issues were exacerbated by a massive nationwide recall of formula produced at an Abbott Labs facility in Sturgis, Michigan. The plant, which was linked to a cluster of infant illnesses, including two deaths, was subsequently shut down by the Food and Drug Administration after federal safety inspectors found Abbott failed to maintain sanitary conditions and procedures at the facility.

The closure further compounded the nationwide shortage. Abbott, one of the country’s largest infant formula makers, said in a blog post published April 15 that it was working to increase production at its other facilities.

Analysis from Datasembly, a retail data firm, found that 31% of baby formula products were out of stock nationwide in early April, with seven states — Connecticut, Delaware, Montana, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Texas, and Washington — seeing out-of-stock rates at over 40%.

Manufacturers say production is at full capacity, but they are unable to keep up with current demand.

“Inflation, supply chain shortages, and product recalls have brought an unprecedented amount of volatility for baby formula,” Datasembly founder and CEO Ben Reich said in a news release. "We expect to continue to see the baby formula category being dramatically affected by these conditions."

More Baby Formula Coverage

Which baby formula brands were affected by the Abbott recall?

In February, Abbott recalled certain lots of Similac, Alimentum and EleCare with expiration dates of April 1, 2022, or later. The product was distributed throughout the U.S. and overseas, the company said in a statement.

Abbott said parents can identify the recalled products by examining the number on the bottom of each container. The affected formulas have a number starting with 22 through 37, contain K8, SH, or Z2 and have an expiration date of April 1, 2022 or later. The company has also setup a website here where parents can check if their products have been recalled.

The recall does not affect liquid infant formulas or any other Abbott products.

The recall came amid four reports infants who were hospitalized after consuming the formula produced at the Sturgis facility, including two who died. The agency said one of the cases involved salmonella and three involved Cronobacter sakazakiim, a rare but dangerous germ that can cause blood infections and other serious complications.

Last month, however, the FDA and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention told NBC News they were unable to find a match between the bacteria samples taken from two of the sickened infants and those taken from the Michigan plant. The agencies note that they couldn't obtain samples from the other two infected infants.

The company had previously said its own testing of finished product didn’t detect any contamination.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is investigating certain powdered baby formula after reports of children contracting serious infections.

Baby formula brands covered by food stamp programs are in especially limited supply

The Abbott recall has been particularly hard-hitting for families who rely on public benefits such as the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) because the company was the exclusive supplier for more than half of the WIC agencies nationwide, according to The New York Times.

The USDA granted a temporary waiver for WIC clients to obtain alternative brand options of baby formula, further compounding the supply chain issues as new pool of parents are now vying for what was already a limited supply of products.

What can parents do?

For parents desperate to secure a regular supply of baby formula for their children, and are having difficulty obtaining a single can, the Infant Nutrition Council of America advises that they contact their local food pantries, churches, shelters and hospital emergency rooms as they may provide small amounts of infant formula in emergency situations.

Parents can contact Feeding America or dial 2-1-1 to be connected to a community resource specialist who can help you find local resources.

If you have questions or concerns about feeding your infant, please contact your baby’s doctor. Pediatricians often have samples in their office and some have relationships with formula companies, and may be able to get parents special shipments, according to "TODAY."

Experts also warn parents against trying to make their own formula at home. Dr. Katie Lockwood, a pediatrician at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, told "TODAY" that baby formula is complex mix of "water and nutrients," and "having too much extra water can be very dangerous to some children’s brains — and having too little water can be dangerous."

"It’s really a delicate balance that’s best done by a chemist," she added.

The FDA warns parents against online recipes for baby formula, citing the possibility of “very serious health concerns” for the baby.

Baby Formula Shortage In WI: CVS, Walgreens, Target Limit Sales

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Retailers in Wisconsin had to put limits on how much baby formula people can buy amid a national shortage.

Ethan Duran, Patch Staff

Posted Wed, May 11, 2022 at 3:39 pm CT

Several retailers in Wisconsin have limited sales on baby formula while federal officials work to address the nationwide shortage. (Rachel Nunes/Patch)

WISCONSIN — While federal officials work to address the nationwide baby formula shortage, some retailers in Wisconsin had to limit their sales due to heavy demand. Walgreens, Target and CVS had to limit sales due to a shortage partly due to the Abbott Nutrition recalls of certain lots of Similac, Alimentum and EleCare baby formula brands.

Baby formula out-of-stock rates were 43 percent in the beginning of May, up from 40 percent in late April and up from 30 percent in early April, according to analysis firm Datasembly. The firm looked at formula supplies from 11,000 U.S. retailers, including in the Badger State.

Here's what's going on with local retailers in Wisconsin.

Find out what's happening in Milwaukeewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Walgreens has a purchase limit of three for all infant and toddler formula purchases to help improve inventory, a spokesperson told Patch.
Target limited purchases on some of its online products to deal with constrained supplies, a spokesperson said.
CVS Health customers can only buy three baby formula products in stores and online amid increased demand and limited supply, the company announced.

Residents experiencing food insecurity can call 211 or look online for their nearest food bank. Click here to search for food banks near you.

Feds Take Steps To Stem Formula Shortage

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Tuesday it is working to resolve infant formula shortages that started almost a year ago due to supply chain issues. Until supplies can be replenished, parents who can’t find formula are urged to work with their local food banks and pediatricians.

Find out what's happening in Milwaukeewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Asked about the shortage on Monday, White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters the agency was working “around the clock.” Psaki highlighted specific steps the agency is taking to address the shortage, including working with manufacturers to increase production, optimize supply lines and increase product sizes. The agency is also trying to make it easier to import formula and is taking steps to increase supply, especially for specialized formula, Psaki said.

The recalled baby formulas were produced in Sturgis, Michigan, at Abbott’s largest manufacturing plant, which was shuttered in February due to contamination concerns. Formula produced at the plant was linked to two infant deaths, prompting an investigation by the FDA and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The recall especially hurt parents who rely on WIC (Women, Infants, and Children), a special supplemental nutrition program. Abbott brands are among those covered by the WIC program, and the company’s woes have trickled down to consumers.

FDA Commissioner Dr. Robert M. Califf said in a statement on the agency’s website that it recognizes consumers “are frustrated” by the shortages and that “ensuring the availability of safe, sole-source nutrition products like infant formula is of the utmost importance to the FDA.”

Among the solutions the agency is exploring are streamlining paperwork and opening the door for more baby formula imports.

Pediatricians warn against DIY formulas or watering down formula, which can cause seizures in infants.

“It is a particular worry about parents doing substitutes or trying to stretch the formula out,” Dr. Magna Dias, a pediatrician and associate professor at Yale School of Medicine, told NPR last month. “And there’s a couple of worries there. One — your baby may not be getting enough nutrition if you're not giving them all the calories that they need.

“And then the other thing is that babies — when they're little, their kidneys are not mature. And for that reason, they need that perfect formulation. Otherwise, it could actually cause them to get very sick and have to come to the hospital.”

Pediatricians say breast milk is best for infants, but if that’s not an option, formula is the best option.

“For babies who are not being breastfed, this is the only thing they eat," Dr. Steven Abrams, of the University of Texas, Austin, told The Associated Press. "So it has to have all of their nutrition and, furthermore, it needs to be properly prepared so that it’s safe for the smallest infants. ”

Switching brands is OK for most healthy infants, but parents whose babies need specialized formulas should talk to their health care providers before making a change, pediatricians advise.

To address the shortages, Chicago-based Abbott is increasing production at its other manufacturing plants, and is bringing jet loads of formula from its plants in Ireland to the United States.

“Unfortunately, many of those very specialized formulas are only made in the United States at the factory that had the recall, and that's caused a huge problem for a relatively small number of infants," Abrams said.

The FDA said Abbott is still working “to rectify findings related to the processes, procedures and conditions.” Other infant formula makers are “meeting or exceeding capacity levels to meet current demand,” the agency said.

The Associated Press contributed to this article.

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Shortage of infant formula in the United States: why a state of emergency is introduced in cities and whether it threatens Russia

In the United States, there is an acute shortage of infant formula milk. According to the Datasembly agency, in early May, the deficit in warehouses across the country was 43%. The crisis is so serious that dry food is delivered to certain regions on military aircraft from Europe. What happened and does the same thing happen to Russia?

What's happening to baby food in the US

In late 2021, four parents contacted the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to complain that their children had contracted a rare and dangerous bacterial infection after taking infant formula. infection with Cronobacter sakazakii, which resulted in death in two cases. Another application was filed by the parents of an infant who was hospitalized with Salmonella Newport.

On January 31, 2022, FDA inspectors came to inspect Abbott Nutrition, the largest manufacturer of infant formula in the United States, and found serious food safety violations, and found five different strains of Cronobacter there (although not Cronobacter was among them sakazakii). In mid-February, at the end of the review, Abbott Nutrition recalled batches of products from stores and suspended the production line until the problem was fixed. So the country was left without the largest plant for the production of infant formula for several months - a supplier of about 20% of all mixtures in the country.

Empty shelves in the infant formula department. USA. State of Georgia. Photo: Erik S. Lesser / EPA / TASS

According to Datasembly, the states of Iowa, Missouri, South Dakota, Tennessee and Texas were the first to experience shortages, but now in 25 states infant formula is out of stock in 40-50% of stores, and in five states - in more than half of the outlets. In this regard, on May 18, US President Joe Biden applied the Defense Production Act and allowed the use of Department of Defense aircraft to deliver products from abroad. He also required suppliers to send ingredients to infant formula manufacturers before any other companies. And on May 22, the mayor of New York declared a state of emergency in the city due to the lack of milk formula for children - it prohibits retailers from raising prices for scarce goods.

The British Daily Mail reports that the remaining two monopolists, Walgreens and CVS, have imposed a ban on the sale of more than three units of baby food in one hand, and the popular online store Target.com - more than four. The FDA cites data that baby food manufacturers Gerber (USA) and Reckitt (UK) have increased the production of infant formula since the beginning of the year - by 50% and 30%, respectively.

How to solve this problem

However, the problem is that the manufacturers that remain on the market do not make enough formula for children with metabolic diseases, allergies and other conditions that require a special diet. Parents are sounding the alarm: Minnesota Public Radio news portal reports that there are already cases of hospitalization of children in Tennessee, Georgia, Wisconsin and other states due to nutritional problems.

On May 23, USA Today reported that a military cargo plane arrived in Indianapolis carrying the first batch of Nestle hypoallergenic infant formula from Germany. In total, there were 35 tons of baby food on board. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, in an interview with NBC News, said that this amount would be enough for 9,000 babies and 18,000 toddlers within one week.

Military aircraft loaded with infant formula. USA. Indianapolis. Photo: Michael Conroy / AP / TASS

According to The Washington Post, Abbott CEO Robert Ford apologized for the deficit and promised to set up a $5 million fund to help affected families cover medical and living expenses until until the supply crisis is resolved.

When Abbot Laboratories returns to the market

Robert Ford told The Washington Post that Abbott Nutrition has retooled its adult food lines at its Ohio plant to produce pre-packaged liquid infant formula and shipped millions of cans of its most sought-after dry formula from its Irish facility . In March, the company reported that it did not detect Cronobacter sakazakii in any sample of the mixture at the Michigan plant (signs of bacteria were detected in the non-contact area with the product) and regularly conducts tests, hoping to eliminate all violations by the summer.

On May 16, the Court for the Western District of Michigan granted a reopening of proceedings after all violations were resolved. According to the head of the company, if the plant passes the test, new mixtures will appear on store shelves in 6-8 weeks.

Abbott will face $30,000 in damages for each day of violation if it fails to comply.

And what about in Russia

After the closure of the plant in the USA, the company's branch in Israel, Abbott Israel, announced the withdrawal of mixtures of Similac Alimentum and Similac HMF (Human Milk Fortifier), produced at the same Michigan plant. There are also representative offices of Abbott in Russia. In particular, the Russian Veropharm factories in the Vladimir region, Belgorod and Voronezh produce Dufalac, Duspatalin, Duphaston drugs - but these are medicines, not baby food.

The main brands of Abbott baby food in Russia are Similak, Similak Premium for healthy babies, Similak Hypoallergenic for children with a high risk of allergies, Similak Low Lactose for children with lactose intolerance, Similak Antireflux, formulas for premature babies "Similak Special Care" and "Similak NeoSure", as well as a comprehensive and balanced diet "PediaSure", intended for children aged 1 to 10 years. They, according to the information on the packages, are produced in Spain, Denmark, the Netherlands and Ireland.

According to Rosstat, from April 30 to May 6, prices for powdered milk formulas for baby food in Russia increased by 1.1%. Thus, since the beginning of the year, the price of mixtures has already increased by 7.02%. This was caused by fluctuations in the ruble exchange rate and problems with logistics. Against this background, Abbott Labs, Danone (Tyoma, Malyutka, Rastishka, Nutrilon) and Nestle (sells NAN, Gerber, Nestle, Nestogen) announced the termination of investments in the Russian Federation and the reduction of the range. However, there is no information that the supply of products may stop.

Cover Image: Liderina / Shutterstock / Fotodom

CVS Pharmacy Pharmacy Vending Machines

The second largest US pharmacy chain, CVS Pharmacy, is beginning to install vending machines in crowded areas where the company currently has no outlets. In a press release, the company called such locations "landmarks."

The new vending machines are equipped with high-resolution 22-inch touchscreen displays that provide detailed information about each product, QR code scanners and card readers. The design of the machine is designed so that people in wheelchairs can use the touch screen and other functions of the machine.

A vending pharmacy will complement the pharmaceutical network

The devices will sell more than 70 types of essential medical products: antiallergic drugs, painkillers, cough and cold medicines, vitamins and supplements, eye and oral care products, drugs against stomach and intestinal disorders, children's hygiene products, first aid items.

The first 25 vehicles will be available by the end of October in New England and New York. They plan to place them at the LaGuardia airport, at the Boston bus station and other public transport points, as well as in parks near business centers and on university campuses. Another 50 outlets will be selected as the network expands.

CVS Pharmacy hopes that vending machines will bring the company's products to places where there are no traditional pharmacies and medicines are urgently needed. Pharmacy network CVS consists of 7600 outlets.

Automation trend

Retailers of all types, including pharmaceutical retailers, are installing automated kiosks and vending machines to enable customers to make quick purchases, collect previously ordered items, and interact with a trading company outside of its traditional locations.

In early summer, the Discount Drug Mart pharmacy chain installed holographic kiosks in its outlets to attract customers and implement bonus programs. Kiosks provide information about promoted products and issue discount coupons for them. In addition, the network uses these terminals to advertise pharmaceutical brands.

Vending machines to be installed in Moscow clinics

This initiative was taken by the parents of the kids as part of a crowdsourcing project that started on the Internet. In their opinion, it would be very convenient if vending machines were installed at the entrance to medical facilities for the sale of things necessary for child care - diapers, nipples, diapers, powders, and so on. In addition, you can sell baby food in vending machines, such as mashed potatoes or cereals.

Meanwhile, according to Lyudmila Stebenkova, chairman of the Moscow City Duma health commission, such machines can be easily installed in clinics. The main thing is that entrepreneurs are interested in this proposal, and they are ready to organize trade. On the other hand, it is important that there is a demand for this product.