Parents desperate as nationwide shortage of baby formula brand hits supermarkets
PARENTS are desperately hunting for a type of baby milk formula that has disappeared from many shops due to supply issues.
Nestle‘s SMA Soya Infant Formula is currently out of stock on major supermarket websites, leaving concerned parents driving around to find stock in stores and chemists.
The milk – made from soya protein – is designed for infants who are intolerant to cows milk.
One parent on Facebook in a post on April 9: “Does anyone know of any chemists with SMA soya in stock for my son’s prescription?
“Apparently there’s a shortage of his milk, I was waiting for it to be delivered to boots today and it hasn’t turned up.”
Another added: “Does anyone know anywhere that has SMA Soya formula in stock please? Been struggling to find it recently and we are running low?”
A third said on X: “My baby is mostly formula fed and I’ve been trying all week to get some. I’m desperate!”
Nestle told Sun Money: “We are experiencing supply issues with SMA Soya Infant Formula.
“We are doing everything that we can to restore supply and exploring solutions to enable us to continue production in a timely manner.
“Families choose, or are prescribed, SMA Soya Infant Formula for a variety of reasons.
“Parents should contact their healthcare professional for advice on feeding options.”
The formula is suitable for babies with milk protein intolerance, lactose and sucrose intolerance, galactosaemia and galactokinase deficiency.
Parents are told to consult a healthcare professional before using it and for dietary advice.
Although no stock is showing on the price comparison site trolley.co.uk, some parents have found some jars by driving around local shops, including in Boots.
Aptamil also offers a lactose-free formula milk, but Nestle advises caregivers to consult a health visitor or professional for advice on feeding if they are struggling to source SMA Soya.
Check for Healthy Start vouchers
TO apply for the scheme, you'll need to fill out a form on the Healthy Start website.
You’ll need to print it off but it you don’t have a printer, you can call the Healthy Start helpline on 0345 607 6823 and get one sent to you.
You need to fill out Part A, but you can leave Part B blank – it involves getting a health professional’s signature, but this requirement was removed in April.
Once you’ve signed and dated your form, put it in an envelope and send it to:
Freepost RRTR-SYAE-JKCR, Healthy Start Issuing Unit, PO Box 1067, Warrington, WA55 1EG
You don’t need a stamp to send off your form, as you’re sending it to a freepost address.
Once you get the vouchers, they’ll last for 12 weeks and can be spent in any of the 30,000 shops that are registered to take part in the Healthy Start scheme.
These include corner shops, supermarkets, market stalls, greengrocers, milk floats and pharmacies, but they’re not valid for online shopping.
You can use the postcode finder on the Healthy Start website to find your nearest retailer.
The scheme is only available in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
If you live in Scotland, you can apply for Best Start Foods instead.
In recent weeks, several major supermarkets have cut prices across their formula ranges, including soya and dairy milk.
Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Aldi were the latest to join frozen food giant Iceland in slashing the prices of the product in early March.
Tesco has announced that it will be reducing the price of 1.2kg boxes of Cow & Gate by to £12, and 1.2kg tubs of Aptamil to £16.
The food giant claimed both types of baby formula will be “cheaper per kg than any other major UK supermarket”.
The move comes alongside slashes to 800g tubs of SMA Little Steps infant formula, which are now £7.95 from £9.75.
Aldi has also slashed the price of its Mamia Infant First Formula – customers can now buy the supermarket’s own-brand formula for just £8.49.
At this price, the 900g tubs have maintained the title of “the lowest priced formula milk available on the market”.
Aldi remains the only supermarket in the UK that offers own-label infant formula.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) recently revealed that formula prices had risen by 25% over the past two years.
The regulator has been investigating the baby milk market after finding it was vulnerable to higher-than-inflation price rises.
It also revealed that the baby formula market was dominated by just two companies – who totalled 85% of sales.
Parents could save more than £500 over the first year of a baby’s life by buying cheaper formula options, although very few switched when prices rose.