Some Canadian parents struggle to pay for baby formula amid recall

Baby formula is getting more expensive in Canada after a recall south of the border. This is leaving many parents scrambling to find the best ways to feed their kids and working together to get the best deal.

“Things are tight, things were always going to be tight when I took a maternity leave but I didn’t know I’d be hitting up my TFSA to pay for formula,” explained CityNews Morning Anchor Andrea Montgomery.

Certain Abbott-brand powdered infant formula products were recalled in February due to Cronobacter sakazakii and Salmonella concerns. The recall notice says the potential contamination poses a “hazardous risk” to those who consume the formula.

The supply issue appears to be ongoing.

We’ve heard time and time again about the cost of living going up in Canada. That’s been putting pressure on everyone, including parents of young children.

“I do not find this on the shelf when I go looking for it, and I’ve bought random brands just in a pinch, just to make it through, which you’re not really supposed to do, it’s not great for their digestion. But you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do,” said Montgomery.

Baby formula is also not something that can be easily replaced, especially for mothers who can’t breastfeed the amount needed for their kids.

“More ends up on the wall than in their stomachs, to be honest. So you really need this to get all of the nutrients, right? You can’t get this from baby cereal and whatnot, this is important stuff.”

An issue in the U.S. with one specific brand is now causing a ripple effect in Canada. While shelves on this side of the border aren’t quite bare yet, it could still potentially happen.

Related article: Some Similac infant formula powders recalled over bacterial contamination concerns

While it’s hoped supply can even out soon, there’s just no telling when that might happen.

“There’s lots of uncertainty out there, it’s been very difficult for the entire supply chain. There’s lots of tensions. Sometimes you may actually be dealing with a stop-sell, which means that the vendor is not able to agree with the grocer on pricing,” explained Sylvain Charlebois, the director of the Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University.

In the meantime, until the challenges can be resolved, many parents are left to bulk-buy products if possible. Some are even signing up for different websites to order product at the best cost.

Then there are those who are supporting one another.

“Me and my girlfriend, if we see it on the shelf we phone each other right away and … we’ll buy it for each other. And we will clear them out so that we have enough for my family and my other friends that have similar aged babies too,” said Montgomery.

Recall-affected products include the following, though a complete list can be found here.

• Similac Advance Step 1 Milk-Based Iron-Fortified Infant Formula Powder
• Similac Advance Step 1 Milk-Based Iron-Fortified Infant Formula Powder
• Similac Advance Step 2 Milk-Based Iron-Fortified and Calcium-Enriched Infant Formula Powder
• Similac Advance Step 2 Milk-Based Iron-Fortified and Calcium-Enriched Infant Formula Powder
• Similac Alimentum Step 1 Hypoallergenic Infant Formula Powder
• Similac Human Milk Fortifier Powder