Bulk Chinese purchase creates baby food shortage in Australia

Australia has been hit by a scarcity of its biggest selling infant food, Karicare Aptamil Gold, which Chinese customers are buying in bulk to ship home, due to rising fears fears over the safety of infant foods.

Nutricia, the company which supplies the formula, has confirmed there has been a surge in demand, but says there is enough stock in Australia and they can arrange delivery to mothers in need.

Parents in Australia are being urged not to press the panic button over dwindling supplies of a popular baby formula as some supermarkets and chemists have reported running out of several popular baby food brands.

A number of frustrated new parents are being forced to visit multiple supermarkets and pharmacies to search fruitlessly for the products and are faced with the prospect of their baby not taking well to the changed brands.

The rush to stock up on the biggest selling formula in the US comes due to shortage stemming from bulk purchases by Chinese customers.

Chinese customers have been on a buying spree to send the product back home due to fears over the safety of infant products there.