Nationwide shortage of baby milk formula leaves parents panicked as supermarket and pharmacy shelves are stripped bare due to ‘issue with ingredient’
- Parents have been left panicked over a nationwide shortage of baby formula
- Danoe, who own the UK’s biggest formula brands Aptmail and Cow & Gate say they are experiencing low availability due to an issue with a foaming ingredient
- Frantic parents have taken to social media to say they’re experiencing ‘real anxiety’ over not being able to find the product
A shortage of baby milk formula has caused a nationwide panic among parents as major supermarkets and pharmacies have run out of stock.
Ready made bottles of Aptamil and Cow & Gate formula milk are in short supply across the UK due to a supply issue with one for the ingredients.
Fretting parents have taken to social media to complain of empty shelves in shops such as Tesco and Boots, while others have taken to Mumsnet to try and discover where to find the formula.
One said the lack of formula was causing them ‘real anxiety’ while another wrote that they pre-made milk ‘helped them sleep through the night’.
A shortage of baby milk formula has caused a nationwide panic among parents as major supermarkets and pharmacies have run out of stock. Pictured: It is sold out in Boots
Boots showed multiple products of Cow & Gate and Aptamil sold out online today
Singer Paloma Faith, who welcomed her second child in February, tweeted she looked in Asda and Boots for Aptmail ‘to no avail’.
Cow & Gate and Aptamil – the UK’s biggest sellers of formulas said: ‘We are currently experiencing low availability on our ready to feed formula products.
‘We fully appreciate that this is unsettling and frustrating for parents and we are very sorry for this.’
The brands, both owned by food giant Danone, said the shortage was caused by ‘an issue with an ingredient used to prevent foaming’ during milk production.
Boots listed several versions of the Aptmail milk sold out online today, picutred are three products
Tesco is also sold out of the 4 x 200ml Ready to Feed Liquid Multipak Aptmail
Fretting parents have taken to social media to complain of empty shelves in shops such as Tesco and Boots, while others have taken to Mumsnet to try and discover where to find the formula.
A Danone spokesperson told FEMAIL: ”We are currently experiencing low availability on our Ready to feed formula products. We fully appreciate that this is unsettling and frustrating for parents and we are very sorry for this.
‘We are working hard to get products back onto shelves as soon as possible. We are sending out supplies of liquid Aptamil First Infant Milk 200ml and a range of Cow & Gate First Milk and Follow On Milk liquid products, and these should start to be available in stores although this may vary by store and region.
‘The current low availability has been caused by an issue with an ingredient used to prevent foaming during the production of these products. As a result, these formulas did not consistently meet our standards, so we stopped sending out them out while we investigated and resolved the issue. Production has now re-started at our factory and we are sending out supplies to retailers.
Boots currently lists six Aptamil products sold out online, while Tesco, Asda, ans Superdrug all have missing items too.
Asda also listed the Aptamil 1 First Infant Milk Liquid Ready to Feed Formula as out of stock
Many people tweeted they couldn’t find the milk – with some saying it was causing them anxiety
One mum tweeted: ‘I can’t find it anywhere and I’m starting to get real anxiety’.
Another added: ‘Why can I not buy readymade formula anywhere in Sheffield?!?! Is there a shortage?’
One parent tweeted Cow & Gate saying: ‘I would just like to say, it’s causing me great emotional distress having to make bottles for my 6 week old with actual powder formula… don’t you know some of us rely on your ready made liquid to see us through the nights, please send help’.
‘I can’t find any first infant ready made bottles anywhere and my son is running out what the hell is going on?!’ one stressed mum added.
Another Dad tweeted Aptamil saying: ‘It’s been a week since I spoke with you about there being no Aptamil 1 or 2 on shelves.
‘Why hasn’t your website been updated? I was told there would be milk on the shelves last weekend.’
One pregnant woman said she’d been to ‘multiple’ Boots stores but was unable to find the milk.
‘I’m due a c-section in June and desperately need this, can you help me please?’ she said.