Thanks to a recent agreement, Bronx families struggling to afford baby food will receive help. The settlement, reached with two companies accused of price gouging, requires them to provide $675,000 worth of baby formula to New York families. Of these, more than $344,000 worth of baby formula made by Marine Park Distribution Inc. will be set aside for child caregivers in the Bronx, according to an announcement on March 6.
This will be especially helpful because, as recent reports show, the Bronx has the highest child poverty and food insecurity rates in New York, with nearly one in three children struggling to get enough to eat.
Why is this settlement happening
As you may remember, the country faced a baby food shortage in 2022. During this shortage, two distributors, Marine Park Distribution Inc. and Formula Depot Inc., were found to have raised prices. Last December, the New York Attorney General’s office said those suppliers will now be required to deliver baby formula to New York families.
How you can get formula
Roads to Success, a nonprofit, will distribute 7,520 cans of powdered formula and 3,510 bottles of liquid formula at the Boston Secor Community Center. The center is located at 3540 Bivona St. in the Bronx. Distribution hours are Monday through Friday, from 12 to 8 p.m. For more information, families can call 646-371-3685 or email yasminrodriguez@roadstosuccess.org.
According to a Roads to Success representative, all formula should reach families in need by the end of this week. To do so, the team is working with the Boston Secor Resident Association, local partners and schools, and families enrolled in Roads to Success Cornerstone Program.
“This donation has been an absolute lifeline for Bronx families, and the demand speaks for itself — distribution is happening rapidly because the need is so urgent,” said Sheila Duke, the CEO of Roads to Success, in a statement.
The broader issue
Public policy experts say this price-gouging raises questions about the broader issues plaguing infant nutrition. For example, according to the AG’s office, Formula Depot customers saw prices for one product increase from $190 to $245 in a matter of weeks.
This issue also emphasized the vulnerability of our baby food supply chain. With just four companies controlling about 90% of the formula market, any hiccup can quickly become a crisis. And when supplies run low, prices can skyrocket, leaving parents in trouble.
It’s why some parents say they don’t trust the baby food market. Last year, we interviewed Phaëdra Jean-Baptiste Mihalko, a Brooklyn nurse who is part of a growing group of parents ditching store-bought baby food to make their own.
As we reported, one study found that 60% of baby foods in U.S. supermarkets don’t meet World Health Organization nutrition recommendations. Many are packed with extra sugar, salt, and sweeteners, setting kids up for unhealthy eating habits later in life.
However, not everyone has the resources to make their own baby food, which is why advocates say families need protection against price gouging. The AG’s office says anyone can help by reporting any concerns about price gouging to the OAG by filing a complaint online or calling 800-771-7755.
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