Which Shop Is Exporting Baby Formula Now?

The ongoing saga of baby formula being exported to China has taken one more step into the bizarre.

According to News.com.au, a travel agency in Melbourne is now exporting massive amounts of baby formula to the country that is desperately buying Australian baby formula in bulk.

The travel agency involved, A&A Travel denies having involvement in the exportation of the product and says that they sublet part of the building to a freight company. A woman from the agency said she could not confirm which company was exporting the much sought after goods.

Formula waiting at the travel agency. Image source: Facebook — Formula waiting at the travel agency.
Image source: Facebook

The Herald Sun reports boxes of formula were being exported from the travel agency, which is in proximity to a supermarket that is rationing tins for parents.

The manager of the Glen Waverley travel agency told the Herald Sun customers would drop off boxes of baby formula at the office and it was then transported overseas.

A spokesman for A & A Travel told the Herald Sun, “I don’t want it to seem like we have a relationship with this other shop … (we are) totally different,” he told the newspaper.

There is no suggestion the travel agent or the freight company are engaged in illegal activity, the Herald Sun reports. Exporting small amounts of baby formula is legal.

China’s demand for Australian infant formula has skyrocketed since 2008, when melamine contamination killed six babies and made 300,000 ill. As a result of the demand, major Australian supermarkets have limits on the amount of baby formula that can be purchased. Pallet loads of baby formula being exported are still being reported regularly, with some tins on Ebay being sold for $110 per tin.

22 Comments

- - meedee said
  - 02 Nov 2021
    11:34 am
It is so shocking that China cant supply their people with safe baby powder of their own

- - coastalkaryn said
  - 23 Feb 2016
    7:55 pm
gosh the things people do for money!

- - june11 said
  - 11 Feb 2016
    8:54 pm
It’s not just “normal” formula there is a shortage of. Goats Milk for babies with Lactose Intolerance is in extremely short supply too. If you don’t get it when you see it you may not be able to get some for weeks in some areas. I know a Mum who had to drive for over 1/2 hour to get Goats formula for her baby. If they give her any other type she vomits most if not all of up. She is therefore missing out on some of the nutrition she should have. She has introduced solids to her baby earlier than is normally done. Luckily the baby loves most of her homecooked solids.

- - serotonin said
  - 04 Feb 2016
    5:50 pm
Wow, $110 on eBay?! Crazy! And a travel agency, who’d of thought.

- - ella12 said
  - 02 Feb 2016
    4:19 pm
Let’s put Australians first shall we.

- - gr82do said
  - 09 Jan 2016
    12:46 pm
We just need to ensure that there is formula for Aussie mother.

- - mom101628 said
  - 08 Jan 2016
    12:05 pm
Greed will always win out – pity that it happens.

- - mum4107 said
  - 08 Jan 2016
    7:11 am
This is disgusting. It needs to stop being exported

- - mom103914 said
  - 08 Jan 2016
    6:18 am
This is dreadful, there must be a way to stop this. Doesn’t every package get x-rayed before being sent overseas. I was in a store recently and an lady asked me if I could purchase 2 tins of baby formula for her as the store had advised there was a limit of 2 per customer. I didn’t purchase these on her behalf so she asked every person in the store.

- - mom165081 said
  - 08 Jan 2016
    3:25 am
All this really is a bit odd – it’s hard to fathom what possesses companies to get involved – I know money speaks, but really?

- - mom134803 said
  - 08 Jan 2016
    3:00 am
Always wondering why this is such a much sought after good. They must produce formula in every country themselves ?

- - crystalangela said
  - 07 Jan 2016
    10:28 pm
I feel for the mums in Australia who are now finding it hard to buy the formula because other people are profiteering.
- mom93821 replied
  
  08 Jan 2016 , 6:51 am
  People seem to be profiteering in both countries and the people that are missing out are the families in need.
- - Mummytoabeautifulprincess said
  - 07 Jan 2016
    10:27 pm
This makes me angry. The formula companies should be increasing output to meet demand so that we IN Australia shouldn’t be limited to how many tins of formula we can buy.
I can understand mums in china being afraid to give their children formula made there of course, but still.

- - cherz said
  - 07 Jan 2016
    9:42 pm
Although I do not like our formula being exported and sold on the black market I do also feel for moms in China ..they are only trying to feed their bubs as well and it’s not their fault the formula in their country is contaminated.
- mom94125 replied
  
  08 Jan 2016 , 2:58 pm
  yeah this whole situation is ridic! i just don’t understand it, it is profits for sure
- - pakeko said
  - 07 Jan 2016
    8:36 pm
Wow this is taking it to another low

- - mom147330 said
  - 07 Jan 2016
    8:13 pm
ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTING! SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO DO THIS, JUST BECAUSE THEY CONTAMINATE THEIR OWN FORMULA DON’T TAKE OURS IN AUS.!!!

- - mom93821 said
  - 07 Jan 2016
    6:59 pm
Greed rather than community seems to be winning with this formula issue. 🙁

- - BellaB said
  - 07 Jan 2016
    6:46 pm
I guess you can’t entirely blame people who want to make a profit.

- - aprilb1 said
  - 07 Jan 2016
    3:17 pm
I hope this gets sorted soon, i can’t imagine how stressful it would be for mums still using formula

- - mom94125 said
  - 07 Jan 2016
    2:59 pm
wow this is ridiculous! when will this get sorted out! hopefully soon. i feel bad for any mother, anywhere that is affected by this.