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What’s behind America’s baby formula shortage?

What’s behind America’s baby formula shortage?

Bare shelves. Hungry babies. Desperate parents.

The United States is experiencing a nationwide shortage of baby formula, threatening the health of millions of infants and giving an already-unpopular President Biden yet another headache ahead of November’s midterm elections.

According to Datasembly, 43% of formula in the country is currently out of stock—up from 30% in April and under 5% in the first half of 2021.

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Annie Gugliotta

Your global guide to America’s baby formula shortage

America is the richest country in the world, so it is perplexing that parents nationwide are currently faced with shortages of a crucial food staple: baby formula.

It is nothing short of catastrophic. The share of baby formula across the country is down 40%, forcing distressed parents to drive across state lines to secure formula – only to be faced, in some cases, with more naked shelves.

How did we get here? The immediate trigger for the crisis was a recall of products made by Abbott Laboratories after four infants – two of whom died – contracted bacterial infections linked to a pathogen called Cronobacter sakazakii. Abbott has since shut down its sprawling Michigan plant while the Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention investigate claims of unsanitary conditions. (This week, Abbott reached an agreement with the FDA to reopen the plant, but it could take two months to resume a regular supply cadence.)

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