Parents who buy baby formula are being restricted to two packs by many retailers amid fears that supplies will run low in the UK due to an increase in “unofficial exports” to China.
Supermarkets including Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Waitrose are putting a cap on the amount of powdered baby milk customers can purchase. The British Retail Consortium’s (BRC) food director, Andrew Opie, said the action was being taken at the request of manufacturers, “as a result of some customers buying up products in unusually large quantities”.
He added: “It was a precautionary step “to ensure stocks continue to be available to everyone wanting baby milk”.
There are concerns that individuals are bulk-buying UK-labelled infant formula and sending it to China, where foreign-made powders are popular, particularly in the wake of a scandal in 2008, in which six infants died and 300,000 fell ill after drinking locally-made formula mixed with the industrial chemical melamine.
Hong Kong authorities have prohibited travellers from leaving the country with more than 1.8kg of formula and detained 10 people last month for smuggling more than their allotted amount. Australian shops have also introduced restrictions.
A spokesman for Danone, the manufacturer of Cow & Gate and Aptamil baby milk powder, said: “We understand that the increased demand is being fuelled by unofficial exports to China to satisfy the needs of parents who want Western brands for their babies.”
Danone said it was taking action in response to the shortage in the UK, and is currently increasing production to overcome the problem, according to BBC business correspondent Emma Simpson.
Danone is also increasing production and supplies of its products that are already available in China, in order to meet the demand.
However Nestle said that it had not asked retailers to limit supply because it did not have any proof of bulk purchase of its SMA product for export.
A spokesman added: “We are in the process of contacting all our retail customers to confirm this, and to notify them that we do not have, and do not anticipate any stock issues for powdered infant milks.”
A spokesman for Sainsbury’s said: “As a short-term measure, retailers including Sainsbury’s are limiting the amount of baby milk powder that people can buy. In this way we aim to ensure a constant supply for our customers and we therefore hope they won’t be inconvenienced.”
A spokesperson for Morrisons said that none of its stores had been running out and that the limitations would not affect many customers, who generally bought just one pack at a time.
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