Company flies baby formula from Europe to US to help address shortage

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Nestle is rushing fly baby formula into the United States to help alleviate the severe shortage being experienced by parents around the country.

The Swiss-based company says it is immediately moving formula from the Netherlands and Switzerland to try and ease the problem. Nestle is moving Gerber baby food formula to the US from the Netherlands and Alfamino baby formula from Switzerland to the US, it told Reuters.

“We prioritised these products because they serve a critical medical purpose as they are for babies with cow’s milk protein allergies,” the company said.

“Both products were already being imported but we moved shipments up and rushed via air to help fill immediate needs.”

Baby formula shelves are now bare in stores across the country as the Biden administration tries to get a grip on the situation.

The Abbott Nutrition plant linked to the shortage of baby formula struck a deal to resume operations within two weeks, according to the US Food and Drug Administration.

Abbott entrered a consent decree with the FDA on Monday, which, if court-approved, sets out the steps the company needs to carry out to resume production at the Michigan factory.

It is the largest US manufacturing plant for baby formula and has been closed since February after complaints of bacterial infection in four hospitalised infants, two of whom died.

Reckitt Benckiser has increased its baby formula production by about 30 per cent and making more frequent deliveries to stores as tries to help improve the situation.

Meanwhile, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has suggested that criminal charges may be brought over the crisis saying that an “indictment” may be required after an investigation into the what caused the crisis.

Reuters contributed to this report.