Supplies of individual brands of baby milk formula still tight in some areas of Hong Kong despite curbs
Pharmacies report shortages of Friso and Mead Johnson, prompting lawmaker to suggest ‘two-tin’ limit remains in place
Supplies of individual brands of powdered milk formula are still tight in Yuen Long and Sham Shui Po despite a slight fall in the overall shortage rate.
The Food and Health Bureau revealed the information in a document submitted to the Legislative Council’s food safety and environmental hygiene panel.
The shortage was most acute for one popular brand – Friso. Overall figures for five areas surveyed between May and October last year revealed that it was not available at 20 per cent of pharmacies.
Civic Party lawmaker Kwok Ka-ki said the findings showed that a restriction limiting people to taking no more than two tins of formula out of the city must stay in place.
“The shortage in infant formula still exists in some areas even with the restriction,” Kwok said. “Given that China is relaxing its one-child policy, it is foreseeable that the demand for infant formula will only escalate.”
READ MORE: Baby formula and diaper sales likely winners in expected retail consumption boom as China drops one-child policy
He said removing the policy now would cause worries among local mothers.