If the past two years have taught us anything, it’s that nothing in this life is certain. It feels like anything could happen. From toilet paper and food shortages to skyrocketing gas prices and the revolving door of looming COVID strains, it’s hard to wrap your mind around where this world, our economy, and our overall sense of normalcy are headed. Adding to the endless list of supply chain issues, parents have now found themselves amidst the most concerning shortage of them all: baby formula.
At the moment, nearly 40% of popular baby formula brands are sold out, according to an analysis by Datasembly. As a result, just as they did with toilet paper and cleaning products during the height of COVID, major retailers such as CVS, Target and Walgreens are now limiting how much baby formula can be purchased at a time.
To make matter worse, Abbott Nutrition issued a huge recall in February that took select versions of Similac, Alimentum, and EleCare formulas off the shelves. This would lead the Food and Drug Administration to reveal findings of unsanitary conditions and procedures at one of the formula maker’s production facilities in Michigan.
As the FDA works with Abbott to reopen and resume production at the Sturgis, Michigan plant, the formula company is also pushing to increase Similac production at its other plants around the country and is also shipping formula from Europe to the U.S. to provide some relief, according to the Wall Street Journal. At the same time, the WSJ notes that the Reckitt Benckiser Group, which makes Enfamil, is working around the clock to increase formula supplies amidst the crisis.
While these shortages are nothing new, they appear to be getting remarkably worse by the week. The problem was first recognized in November 2021 when about 11% of the major formula brands went out of stock, according to Datasembly That number had grown to 31% by April 2022 and continues to climb steadily as production remains down and users begin to panic buy (which we do not encourage).
Datasembly also revealed that shortages have been more dire in some states than others. Iowa, South Dakota, and North Dakota face shortages between 50% and 51%. Meanwhile, states such as Missouri (52%), Texas (53%), and Tennessee (54%) are facing even greater depletion, according to Datasembly.
Where Can You Buy Baby Formula Online?
Depending on where you live and what formula your child uses, there are still some places to buy baby formula online and have it shipped to your home. As of Thursday, May 12 at 7:30 a.m., there still seems to be a decent supply of baby formula in stock at online retailers such as Amazon, Target, and Walmart. Although it may be difficult to order and have shipped to your door the same day, you can still get many brands shipped in two days at Target (if you spend over $35) and at Amazon with Amazon Prime. Walmart also offers shipping in less than three days on select products with some baby formula options included.
So for parents searching for baby formula for sale online, Amazon, Walmart, and Target are excellent resources for buying formula online. All three online retailers accept SNAP EBT and P-EBT on eligible products in all states except Alaska and Hawaii. SNAP participants can also save on Amazon Prime, paying only $6.99 per month for an Amazon Prime Membership as opposed to the regular $14.99 per month membership fee.
Below, we’ve gathered baby formula you can buy online. Although, this list is not one size fits all since all babies don’t drink the same formula and some may have sensitivities or restrictions that prevent them from doing so, we’re hoping these options will provide some kind of relief for desperate parents. Again, in this time of uncertainty, panic buying can exacerbate supply shortages, so we recommend ordering only what you need for now.
