May 12, 2022 4 min read

Anyone who has ever had an infant in their house can attest that they are hungry little creatures.

They’ll chug down formula like a dehydrated man who has found a fresh-water oasis in the middle of the desert. Then, they’ll be back for more in just an hour or two.

For that reason, parents of infants have been gnawing their fingernails in recent weeks over a shortage of infant formula that has swept across the country. Shoppers at both chain and independent outlets have been confronted with empty shelves where they would typically find brands like Similac, Gerber and Enfamil.

Kathlyn Anne Gencil, a Smithfield resident with a 3-month-old daughter named Leah, said she has enlisted out-of-town friends and relatives to grab formula whenever and wherever they see it.

“It’s just a struggle for everybody,” she said. “It just breaks your heart.”

Infant formula is just one of several staples that has become harder to come by as the worldwide economy recovers from its pandemic slumber, but the problem has become particularly acute due to a recall of product manufactured by Abbott Nutrition, the makers of three brands of powdered formula. It happened after two children died of bacterial infections after consuming formula made at a plant in Michigan. The plant has been closed since February, but formula supples were shrinking even before then.

According to Datasembly, a retail analysis firm, some brands of formula started becoming tougher to find last July, and the trend accelerated through 2021 and into 2022. It’s estimated that 40% of the most popular brands of formula are unavailable on store shelves.

That has left some parents and guardians scrambling, scouring the internet to find where formula is being sold, or trying to find viable alternatives, particularly if their child needs a specialized brand due to allergies or sensitivities, or, like Gencil, they have friends and family do some hunting.

“Inflation, supply chain shortages and product recalls have continued to bring volatility to the category, and continues to be one of the most affected products in the market.” said Ben Reich, the CEO of Datasembly.

If there’s a silver lining for consumers in this region, it’s that Pittsburgh is not one of the cities that has been most severely affected. The metropolitan areas of Baltimore, Minneapolis, Seattle and San Antonio are among those that have been hit the hardest, as well as such states as Texas, Montana, Connecticut, Delaware and New Jersey.

Some outlets have started placing limits on the amount of formula customers can purchase. However, the Shop ‘n Save stores in Canonsburg and Washington have not yet taken that step, according to owner Jeff Duritza. He said only about 10% or so of the customers at those stores need formula, and “I haven’t seen any hoarding. If we see that, that’s when we start placing limits to make product last.”

Duritza added that his son and his wife recently had a daughter and had to switch to a different brand of formula due to the shortage.

According to Dick Roberts, a spokesman for Giant Eagle, the chain of stores is working “to keep our shelves well-stocked with essential grocery and household items as we navigate the many challenges currently facing the grocery industry. Like many areas throughout the supermarket, the availability of select infant formula has been impacted by supply chain challenges and manufacturer limitations. As the situation evolves, we will continue to adapt and work closely with our supply partners to meet the needs of our guests with the products that are available.”

Earlier this week, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said the Food and Drug Administration was trying to expedite imports of foreign baby formula to increase the supply. Pediatricians and health workers have also been sounding the alarm about watering down formula or turning to online recipes. Instead, they say families that can’t track down any formula should contact doctor’s offices or food banks.

Hannah Baluch, of Belle Vernon, has not been able to find the prescription-based formula that her 9-month-old daughter Eloise uses because of allergies and severe reflux, and worries that the child she has on the way will also have allergies that will necessitate using specialized types of formula.

“If the next baby has an allergy, I don’t know what I’m going to do,” Baluch said. “It’s getting scary fast.”

The Associated Press contributed to this story.