Outrage over bulk formula purchase

Outrage has erupted after an angry mother snapped a photo of a group of four adults purchasing around 50 tins of in-demand infant formula.

Jessica Hay was with her three-year-old son Archie at her local Woolworths when she saw the stack of A2 Platinum formula tins piled into two trolleys.

Knowing how difficult it is to find this brand of formula, and noticing that Woolworths staff members weren’t attempting to enforce any purchasing limits, Jessica pulled out her camera.

“My blood was boiling for the mothers having problems finding A2 for their babies. I was feeling sensitive because I’ve got a newborn,” the Melbourne woman told Fairfax media.

“If they were with babies, it would be understandable, they need to feed their kids too. But it felt like a smooth operation, like they did this all the time.”

Jessica posted the images, taken at Epping Plaza, on a Facebook group for local mums, resulting in a tidal wave of anger.

One frustrated member posted the photo to Woolworths’ page, along with the comment: “We are in a formula shortage and you are allowing this?! What happened to four tins maximum per person? Look at the empty crate in the picture?!”

Both posts have gone viral.

Infant formula is in high demand in China, and can be sold online for up to three times the Australian retail price. 

To avoid mass purchases for the purpose of on selling, many retailers limit the number of tins each customer can purchase.

A Woolworths spokesperson said staff on duty at the time the image was taken were unaware of the supermarket’s current 8 tin limit.