Republicans smash the Biden administration as stores implement rationing
The US is experiencing a shortage of baby formula. Major retailers have imposed a limit on the number of items customers can purchase. Republican lawmakers call the current shortages “a problem” because prices have risen and shelves are empty. “national crisis”He accused the Biden Administration of economic mismanagement.
“The formula shortage is a national crisis, hitting poor moms and kids the hardest,”Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton (a Republican) tweetedOn Monday. Cotton demanded that the Food and Drug Administration develop a plan for increasing production. “the Biden Administration needs to take this seriously.”
“Nearly a year after the White House announced their ‘Supply Chain Taskforce,’ parents can’t even find food for their children,”Republican Rep. Jim Banks, Indiana added. “This is another growing crisis!”
These calls to action are echoed by many journalists who have young children and have spoken out about asking their relatives in other states for formula.
My sisters and mom are shipping the formula to me from Pennsylvania due to the severe shortage. Infants 4 months old who have not been breastfed are denied any food. Formula is not available for babies under 4 months old
— Hillary Kelly (@HillaryKelly) May 9, 2022
It’s so apt that on Mother’s Day there is a worsening baby formula shortage, and I just clicked on a “what should you do if you can’t get any” link that said, in short, there’s no alternative, keep scrounging. This is crazy.
— Megan K. Stack (@Megankstack) May 9, 2022
Baby formula is in short supply. No grocery store near us has the brand we use, it is temporarily out of stock on Amazon Prime and the generic version that is “available” on Amazon has a 1-2 month lead time. Cool.
— Gabby Orr (@GabbyOrr_) May 8, 2022
According to data from Datasembly, nearly 40% of top-selling formulas were unavailable at US retailers during the week ended April 24, according figures published by multiple US media outlets. This is based upon data from more 11,000 shops and represents an increase of 31% from two weeks prior, and 2-8% for 2021.
Price increases have been noted by CBS News, who reported that infant formula prices rose as high as 18% last year.
Amid this spiralling and potentially dire problem (babies can’t always switch between brands, and formula cannot be watered down or substituted with cow’s milk), in recent weeks CVS and Walgreens have both limited customers to three formula items per transaction, while Target allows shoppers to buy four.
Datasembly as well these retailers have put the blame for the shortage on interruptions in supply chains, which are a remnant from the coronavirus outbreak. Abbott Laboratories (one of the US’s biggest formula makers) has now recalled three brands of formula because of bacterial contamination.
However, shortages were already reported prior to the recall. Suppliers and retailers blamed each other and manufacturers accused customers of hoarding precious commodities.
Biden has seen inflation rise, and the US recorded its largest year-over-year increase in inflation since 1981. This was in April. Republicans have blamed Biden’s spending policies for devaluing the dollar, his coronavirus vaccination and testing policies for interfering with logistics networks, and his environmental policies for pushing fuel prices to near-record highs.
The Biden Administration first claimed that inflation was “transitory”Officials are insisting on rising prices being Russia’s fault, and downplaying consumer concerns. “Putin’s price hike.”
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