Most Americans are not feeling the impact of President Biden’s efforts to get baby formula back into stores. Shelves are bare in the baby aisle —with about 30% of products out of stock as recently as July 3rd. In fact, shortages are higher today than in recent weeks.
And in some parts of the country, it’s really bad.
According to The Wall Street Journal, “Keith Milligan, controller of Piggly Wiggly stores in Georgia and Alabama, said his stores are carrying five of the 30 formula products they typically sell, compared with about 10 in late spring. Store shelves aren’t empty, but have many gaps, Mr. Milligan said, and customers are purchasing what is available.”
“It has not improved at all,” Milligan added.
Mr. Milligan’s experience is not unique —in fact, some discouraging numbers illustrate the futility in the Biden Administration’s efforts to fly in formula from other countries, otherwise known as Operation Fly Formula (great name…very on the nose).
By the end of this week, July 17th, the Biden Administration will have flown in 55 million 8-ounce bottles worth of formula from countries all over the world, including Mexico, Ireland, Australia, and a few more European countries.
Sounds like a lot, no? It isn’t.
WSJ reports “U.S. consumers typically purchase enough powdered formula to make about 65 million 8-ounce bottles a week, according to IRI data.”
In one month the Biden Administration has failed to supply enough formula to cover American families for one week —a devastating development as parents struggle to find formula.
Last month, here’s what the “experts” were saying.
“It will make a noticeable difference,” said Dr. Steve Abrams, immediate past chair of the American Association of Pediatrics Committee on Nutrition. “When these formulas hit the stores, I think you’re going to see a lot of easing up on hoarding and stressing,” Abrams added.
“I think that there’s going to be this big hurrah when people can go to Target and see formula again. So that effect may exceed the volume amount.”
We don’t hear a big hurrah.
“Me and other moms are battling to see who can get formula first,” said Marissa Jones, a mother from Columbus, Ohio who spoke to the WSJ.
“It shouldn’t be that way.”
