Parents hunting for baby formula as shortage spans

Parents hunting for baby formula as shortage spans

Shelves typically stocked with baby formula sit mostly empty at a store in San Antonio, Tuesday, May 10, 2022. Parents across the U.S. are scrambling to find baby formula because supply disruptions and a massive safety recall have swept many leading brands off store shelves. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

US WASHINGTON (AP) — Parents across the U.S. are scrambling to find baby formula because of supply disruptions and a massive safety recall by manufacturer Abbott. Ongoing supply problems have intensified since Abbott shuttered its largest U.S. formula plant due to contamination concerns. Pediatricians are urging parents who can’t find formula to contact food banks or doctor’s offices. They warn against watering down formula to stretch supplies or using online DIY recipes. Major retail chains including CVS and Walgreens are limiting how many containers customers can purchase at one time to conserve supplies. Meanwhile, regulators with the Food and Drug Administration are looking at importing formula to boost U.S. supplies.

Photo: Shelves typically stocked with baby formula sit mostly empty at a store in San Antonio, Tuesday, May 10, 2022. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)