NY Post
The ongoing shortage of baby formula across the United States has become more acute in recent weeks, despite the Biden administration flying in millions of bottles worth of formula from across the world over the past two months. According to the market research firm IRI, 28.3% of powdered baby formula products were out of stock at US stores for the week ending July 10 — a higher percentage than the 23.7% reported out of stock for the week ending May 22, when the shortage dominated headlines. The most recent availability figure was a slight improvement from the previous week, when the out-of-stock percentage stood at 29.5%, the highest figure so far this year. By contrast, the normal out-of-stock range prior to the COVID-19 pandemic hovered between 5% and 7%. In addition to less availability, consumers are facing a dearth of choices when it comes to what type of baby formula to purchase. As of July 3, consumers were buying an average of 11 different formula products weekly, compared to 24 between 2018 and 2021, the Wall Street Journal reported last week, citing IRI.
