‘It’s absolutely disgusting,’ says shopper as parent essential locked behind plexiglass – there’s a disturbing reason

GROCERY stores have started to lock baby formula as prices for the powder start to skyrocket.

Parents have started to notice that stores are keeping formula behind locked Plexiglas that requires an employee to unlock it.

2

Over the last two years, the average price of baby formula has gone up 30%, according to Statistics Canada, reported by CBC.

“It’s absolutely disgusting that we’ve reached a point where people have to resort to stealing to feed their child,” Alyssa Cassidy told CBC News.

“I think it’s classist. If you have the money, then it’s not a big deal. For the people who don’t, it’s just awful and sad.”

While parents in London, Ontario may be experiencing this now, shelves have been locking products for years in big cities like Toronto, Lesley Frank, Canada Research Chair in food, health and social justice at Nova Scotia’s Acadia University told the outlet.

London parents shared that a week’s worth of formula can cost between $30 to $70. 

One parent said the price hike has been a “struggle” and can often lead her to pick which child gets to eat more.

“You have to sacrifice sometimes or choose between one child having more or less, even. They [grocery chains] know it’s so overpriced that people are going to start stealing it,” Stephanie Green said.

Parents have had to get creative with food as Green explains that she can stretch a $40 tub to last a week for her two kids if she buys the cheaper brand.

She also registered for samples and testers to get even more food.

Another mother shared that she is forced to choose between paying bills and buying formula.

“You have to put your kids first. If you’re not stealing formula, you’re stealing food,” said Amanda Brasier.

The Ontario mother has a daughter who needs special lactose-free formula resulting in $50 a week for one child.

“I’ve been put in the situation of formula or bills. It’s ridiculous.”

Braiser shared that she had never stolen formula, but other mothers revealed that they have when money is tight.

WHY IS IT SO EXPENSIVE?

Frank has been trying to make sense of the ever-growing price of formula for the last 10 years.

“Producers would probably blame higher factory costs, ingredient costs, and energy costs. We’re also reliant on a few international corporations and there’s very little market competition,” Frank said. 

When she conducted a study in 2022 involving 1,500 families with children under two, she learned. “31% of those families were food insecure and of those, over 64% were worried about having enough money to buy formula.”

She also found that more than half of the families bought formula instead of paying bills and almost 5% admitted to stealing formula before.

Frank thinks the government needs to do more about the costs of baby food in Canada.

The U.S. Sun previously reported that Target also locked up baby formula at their stores.

Formula ranges in price at the retailer but can cost about $40 to $53 for one can.

The milk powder is one of the top 15 items stolen from Target, according to FinanceBuzz.