Shortage of baby milk in the United States: the White House will announce measures

Faced with the concern of the parents, the White House decided to react.

She is to announce measures on Thursday to deal with the shortage of baby milk, which is currently affecting the United States, she told the press.

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Before that, President Joe Biden must meet with representatives of the retail trade and infant milk producers, said the American executive, under pressure to tackle the situation.

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Because many American parents looking for powdered milk for their babies have been facing empty shelves for several days.

The fault is supply problems, caused on the one hand by disruptions linked to the Covid-19 crisis, and accentuated by the closure in February of a factory of the manufacturer Abbott, in Michigan, at the request of health authorities. .

Three references of infant milk, manufactured in this factory, have also been withdrawn from the shelves, for suspicion of bacterial infections.

At least four infants have been hospitalized, two of whom have died, after consuming these products, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reported.

Although, according to Abbott, one of the main players in the market, "

".

A 43% out-of-stock rate

The company says it can restart production at its site within two weeks, subject to the FDA's green light.

But, "

," she warned in a statement.

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In stores, the situation is alarming.

Although other manufacturers have ramped up the production rate, the out-of-stock rate of infant formula at US retailers reached 43% at the end of last week, up 10% from the average. of April.

At the end of April, this proportion was even higher in some states, with a stock-out rate above 50% in Iowa, South Dakota, North Dakota, Missouri, Texas and Tennessee.

Several retail chains have thus set purchasing limits.

In the United States, these shortages have a real impact on the daily lives of families.

A study published in 2020 by the US public health agency showed that only a quarter of infants born in the United States in 2017 had been exclusively breastfed during their first six months.