Infant formula price increase raising concerns

The increasing cost of infant formula is a concern for a Bedford, N.S., mother.

Abigail Sharron says the 18-pack Enfamil ready-to-feed infant formula cost around $60 at Shoppers Drug Mart just four weeks ago. Now it is nearly $75.

"Shock and disbelief, defeat — I mean, I'm trying to feed my infant and to go up that much in that little amount of time, it's scary," Sharron said.

Sharron said it takes her three-and-a-half-month-old son five days to finish the entire package. She said she buys this specific product, which is made with distilled water, because it was recommended by a doctor.

CBC News contacted Loblaws, which owns Shoppers Drug Mart, for comment. No one from the company responded.

Other retailers are selling the same product for a lower price. Walmart Canada sells the same 18-pack of the Enfamil infant formula for $59.95, though Sharron said it's not always on the shelves.

Reverberations for 2021 formula shortages

Sylvain Charlebois, the director of Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University, said the reason a company like Walmart could sell the same product for a lower price is because it's better at logistics than Loblaws.

"They do plan ahead. So that may have given Walmart an advantage given what's going on with the infant formula market," said Charlebois, referencing the U.S. Department of Justice opening an investigation into the Abbott Laboratories plant in January.

Abbott Laboratories makes Similac, another popular infant formula brand.

In June, the Associated Press reported its factory in Michigan closed for months due to contamination. That shutdown led to supply shortages with all infant formula, including non-Abbott brands.

Families pay up

"Things are really slow and the entire North American market has been impacted," Charlebois said. "So supplies are a challenge for everyone, including Shoppers and Walmart.

"So, my guess is that Walmart made some moves prematurely to make sure that they actually did have some products in inventory."

Lesley Frank, the Canada research chair in food, health and social justice at Acadia University, says the price jump at Shoppers is concerning.

"Those struggling to afford those products, even before the price increase, are going to be facing some pretty difficult scenarios," Frank said.

"We know that infant food insecurity — meaning people don't have enough money to purchase the food products that they need to feed their babies — has led to some pretty disturbing outcomes."

Some of those outcomes include watering down infant formula to make it last, and feeding babies expired formula, Frank said.

When Sharron's son turns four months old, he'll be able to switch to a powdered formula. While it's cheaper than the pre-made formula, Sharron says it's still pricey.

"I don't know how long families are going to be able to sustain themselves much longer, honestly, because the powder has gone up as well," Sharron said.