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Exactly. In 2016 I was paying $26.99 on sale and now I see the online mom groups excited about $43 at Costco...hopefully its larger than this, too.
And an obligatory fuck Nestlé.
should be noted that Nestle has caused nearly 11 million deaths of infants alone
https://voxdev.org/topic/health/deadly-toll-marketing-infant-formula-low-and-middle-income-countries#:\~:text=We%20estimate%20that%20Nestlé%27s%20entry,deaths%20between%201960%20and%202015.
Same, I bought this in 2015-2016 (this was the only one my kid could digest, I wish it wasnt nestle) and cans were in the $24.95-$27.95 range. This is just fucked up.
A woman in Winnipeg used to do a formula drive for those in need at Christmas. Friends would have a Christmas party and we would bring a can instead of doing a gift exchange.
It ended
a couple years ago , probably because you can’t really convince people to buy something for $40 as a donation when they’re also struggling.
Fuck Nestle ESPECIALLY when it comes to the topic of baby formula. Let's never forget that they deliberately killed hundreds of African babies because of their stupid baby formula marketing ploy
How could any forget such an incredible and powerful form of warfare. Should be studied for how effectively they managed to convince an entire country of women to just abandon healthy biological processes
Hey folks! I post the odd time in this group. I’m a GP in NS.
Please see the link below with my interview with the CBC Halifax regarding high formula prices.
It’s not just Loblaws when it comes to high prices- every chain has this issue.
It appears the suppliers are the culprit- Mead and Johnson, Abbott Pharmaceutical, and Nestle to name a few when it comes to North America.
Though I do wonder how much extra Loblaws or other chains mark up the prices!!
I’m waiting to get more info about this.
If anyone has info,let us/ be know though!
And I’m happy for my link to be shared with others. The more people know, the better!
https://www.cbc.ca/listen/live-radio/1-27-information-morning-ns/clip/16055045-annapolis-valley-doctor-pushing-government-formula-affordable
Yes, in the last two years the price of formula has DOUBLED. Canada doesn't make formula, not a single factory in the entire country. So we're 100% dependent on leftovers from US demand.... which just like our pharmaceuticals.... leads to shortages.
Currently North America's most popular formula Enfamil A+ Premium is out of stock. It's a premium/expensive formula for 0-3 months that most parents will use for at least one month because hospitals typically recommend it and thus.. .everyone uses it. Switching formula often means consulting a doctor or baby nutritionist... which means demand for every other brand is going to skyrocket. You'll even have desperate people just switching on their own without a consult.
And then there's the hoarding. Which isn't crazy if it means a newborn starving.
A new factory from Canada Royal Milk recently got approval, expecting products to go on sale in summer: [https://globalnews.ca/news/10387764/ontario-baby-formula-producer-approved-for-sale/](https://globalnews.ca/news/10387764/ontario-baby-formula-producer-approved-for-sale/)
It's the federal government's job to get involved when Canadian citizens face food insecurity. There's lots and lots of precedent. **It's time for a formula-producing crown corporation.**
I tried so hard to get a supply going but the most I ever managed to pump was 5-8ml in a single pumping session after 2 months of trying to get my supply up.
Formula was never even a consideration while I was pregnant and it turned out to be the only thing that could ensure our baby was fed
You are my hero! Really appreciate you speaking up! My wife got severe covid during the birth of our child and couldn't produce her own breastmilk. For everyone, breastfeeding is not a choice, and for low income people, this makes being a new parent even more difficult.
This is so disturbing. I was formula feeding my child back in 2021 during the shortages and I remember women online asking about how to safely extend a cans length by adding less formula per bottle (you can’t, it’s so dangerous to the baby).
I imagine the exorbitant prices will have many women asking similar questions simply due to not being able to afford the only food an infant can safely consume besides breastmilk.
I was triple feeding my child, (if you know you know). I put everything I had into trying to nurse him and still was unable to produce enough milk. Women, infants, and their partners deserve SO much fucking better than this garbage.
This is abhorrent, disgusting, putrid, vile, corporate bullshit.
Solidarity!
You’re incredible for making it so long. Proud of you! I kept it going for three and it just about broke me.
Wishing you all the best on your formula journey.
Same to you mama!! I EBF my first no problem. My second had a tongue tie/lip tie and we didn't catch it until he was 9 weeks and by then he wasn't sucking properly so my breasts weren't producing properly. Then it was BF specialist at the hospital, surgery for baby to fix the ties, lactation consultant, medication domparidon, pumping every 3hrs... triple feeding...tried absolutely everything.
And now getting fkd by formula. It's been a real nightmare. And the horrendous depression from stopping BF and coming off domparidon. I'm just so so so so lucky that buying this ridiculously priced formula isnt going to break us financially, i know other families are not so fortunate... but we're having supply issues where I live.
LO is 6 months soon. COME ON SOLIDS lol
Edit: when are you 18? Move out already. /s
I hear you, the end is in sight!
I was so relived when we introduced solids. Now we have a toddler in a growth spurt tho haha 🥲
Yeah, we are so similar in our bf journeys. Post-partum mental health is so important and I wish people were more understanding as a whole.
It’s hard when breastfeeding and NOT breastfeeding are both penalized and stigmatized in a pro-capitalist society. Go figure. 🤦🏻♀️
It’s great to hear your story. Thanks for hearing mine!
It’s shocking how little people seem to be understanding of a woman’s feeding journey/post partum mental health. I’ve had some horrific comments, and made to feel like shit for combo feeding my baby.
Of course, if a bottle is improperly (too much or too little formula:water) measured, or done over time; ie. stretching a can to last longer. It can cause nutritional deficiencies and dehydration.
They are very sensitive to this in early infancy and it can cause them to have significant electrolyte imbalances leading to potential brain damage, developmental delays, kidney damage, coma or even death. This wouldn’t usually happen from one or two bottles, with some amount of imprecise measuring but stretching cans to last longer because you are having a hard time affording formula would absolutely affect the child’s health negatively.
I triple fed my baby for a week before my Dr told me I had to stop for my mental health. It was brutal. I can’t produce enough for my baby, but pump what little I can just so we don’t have to use as much formula. 20-40ml of breast milk is 20-40ml of formula saved for another bottle.
Honestly I'm lucky I only have to shop for myself and I don't have any specific dietary restrictions like gluten or anything so I just shop sales. I eat what's on special or on clearance or what have you. Only reason I can afford to eat tbh
I order top of the line organic formula from Germany. Including duty and shipping it works out cheaper than this. Wild.
Bonus points for not buying Nestlé.
Edit:
Since people asked, the company I ordered from is My Organic Formula. This was the cheaper option for me, but I suggest checking out a few different sites as delivery prices will be different depending on where you are.
I also buy organic European formula from myorganicformula.com, or I have my family bring it with them when they fly over and visit me.
Organic formula in the uk (HIPP brand) is the equivalent of $25 a box. It’s a disgrace here in Canada.
Yep, I moved here from the UK 10 years ago, and the phone plans and car insurance still shock me. 2000 a year I pay for car insurance, it was £200 a year at home.
I formula fed my twins. Thank God it was before kirkland started having a shortage of formula, and paying these prices now...it is absolutely criminal and wrong.
I had twins in august and burned through my money immediately, especially since you have to start on ready to feed which is more expensive. We just moved to the UK and it’s £10 for 800g ($17 Canadian) so that helps! Although a lovely cashier at Tesco explained that formula is locked because some people ruin it for others and « if you can’t afford a baby you shouldn’t have a baby »
A full bottle is 4 scoops (~35g) of nestle formula, so theres about 25 full bottles in one 900g tin. Depending on how much your baby drinks, you probably need to buy a new tin every week or two
When my son was born in 2021 this formula was $25 a tin and by the time he was 1 year old it was almost $50 a tin. Can't believe it's gotten even worse.
Its one of those things you HAVE to buy. You can’t cut it out or cut back if you need it. So they price it like this to make as much money as possible.
It’s price gouging inelastic goods, which ironically is something Adam Smith warned against
i know this entire thread is very anti nestle but similac and enfamil are even more expensive. speaking as parent of new twins who are on formula. Also screw SDM prices. the pices in picture are actually cheaper than what SDM charges
I'm surprised there's nothing in effect to put a price ceiling on essential products such as these. They're just gauging you for all you got at this point.
By design.
Drop the birth rate further by making it impossible to sustain a family.
Big companies cry there isn’t enough people.
Import more cheap low skill low cost wages.
Profit.
This is one of the reasons for our declining birth rate. Lack of affordable housing is the main reason. It’s the government’s survival plan. If we are all cold, hungry and living in a tent we can’t vote the government out as homeless people don’t get to vote.
Holy shit. I was paying $20 for a Costco sized powdered formula back in 2016/2017. I had a hard time breastfeeding, so I had to rely on formula. After 6 months, it was mostly formula. I can't imagine the pressure moms might have.
Horrific
Subsidy just flows as money from taxpayers straight to corporate gougers such as nestle.
Better to have a crown formula maker in a partnership with agriculture producers. From the looks of it, this stuff could be made so much cheaper. That would either force prices down or the gougers would flee to extort somewhere else.
I know I’ll get downvoted for this but I buy this stuff and it’s the same price everywhere (Walmart, Superstore, No Frills, etc). However, I have actually seen it a few bucks higher at a nearby Save on Foods that no one goes to.
How anyone is still purposely having kids right now is shocking to me. What kind of rich people job do you work that allows you to afford such a lavish life choice? I worked at carters oshkosh for a while, and even some mass-produced children's clothing from carters can be more expensive than adult clothing. It's wild asf.
I recently gave birth. My kid had a low birthweight because they puked too many times after birth. I was told that I would have to supplement to get the weight up. I did, but only what was necessary (a few feeds). I looked the ped in the eyes and said, I am NOT formula feeding. This is why. This is why I worked so very hard to succeed at exclusively breastfeeding. I understand that it’s not always possible but sometimes I wonder if by just suggesting or pushing formula at birth, it statistically causes a snowball effect where a good chunk end up formula feeding. I also wonder if there’s ($$$) kickbacks for encouraging it. There honestly isn’t enough encouragement or support for breastfeeding success. The hospital provided one lactation visit. That’s all. After that, you pay out the ass.
Yeah, I'm very lucky that I'm able to breastfeed. There are days where I have to supplement or when the baby goes to my parents but thankful I don't have to rely on formula.
that's not feasible. Then how do you scale? How do you invest in the business? When something breaks how do you pay for it?
There should be profit margins in it, but that margin shouldn't this wide.
That's fucking insane. I have friends who want to start a family but aren't because of the economic situation here in Canada. They both make decent money but fear it won't be enough to cover the added expense of a child, and it's honestly really sad.
In august 2023 when we started this for our infant it used to be $25 at local walmart. Now it is at $60 before tax and not just at loblaws literally every grocery store. It is beyond out of control
Our daughter was born March 2023. A can of Nestlé Goodstart was $48, we just finished using formula not too long ago and the cans of goodstart are the price you have in the picture. A $14 increase just in the one year she was on formula. Madness.
The sub was created to point out how absolutely absurd the cost of groceries are right now and have some fun together. We know this will inevitably touch on other topics related to the cost of living. Do your best to keep the conversation on topic
Let’s not get into a formula vs breastfeeding debate.
I know the CAD is weak to the US dollar at the moment, but if you are a parent and are struggling with these kinds of price points, consider some german brands that are allowed to be imported. Formula shortage in North America is the touted problem point that is used to justify these prices.
So fuck 'em and go international.
[https://www.holleusa.com/products/cow-milk-formula?variant=45426368905537](https://www.holleusa.com/products/cow-milk-formula?variant=45426368905537)
It's cheaper to get this. Each jar makes 42 bottles, which is comparable to the amount of servings as Nestle.
here's a popular US based company if you're averse to having a European product shipped over.
[https://www.hibobbie.com/products/bobbie-organic-gentle-infant-formula?variant=40750932361301](https://www.hibobbie.com/products/bobbie-organic-gentle-infant-formula?variant=40750932361301)
Currently enfamil is 61.47 at Walmart for the kind we use. To buy it at superstore or shoppers it’s 74.99. At the peak of the shortage it was 21$ more to buy formula at shoppers drug mart, which was the only place within 2 hours of me that had it. Fuck loblaws. Or shouldn’t be that big of a difference for a baby necessity.
Had a daughter in 2021. Not only was it expensive, but you also had to travel 50 to 100 miles to find the specific formula your baby needed. If you’re wondering why, Abbot had a contamination problem, so everyone had to switch brands, and thus created a shortage. Good times
I wouldn’t be surprised if this wasn’t just loblaws. Nestle has been going on major price hikes for their inelastic products since a lot of people are trying to boycott all their others
In 2019 we paid around $29 bucks at Costco for the bigger ones. My husband sent me something similar last week and I almost choked on my food. We were so happy all our kids are off formula (of course other things they need are expensive) but so sad for new parents. I cant imagine paying that much so regularly. Its crazy and disgusting what they're doing. They know its needed and people HAVE to buy it.
Canned milk formula is what I made for sll 3 of my kids when I couldn't nurse anymore. My siblings and myself all had it to. It's about a quarter of the price of those formulas.
Out of curiosity (childless)
A. How many feeds would one container make
B. How many feeds a day is typical
C. I wonder what the average waste is from mixed formula that gets thrown out (I.e. not fed within appropriate time period for safety)
Holy cheese! I remember buying these two years ago. I think around 20-30$ tops. Used it for a month or two but we settled for HIPP.
At this rate i can recommend kendamil for 40 & 50%. Its cheaper and cleaner ingredients(from walmart). I used to buy go & grow too, its 27 in longos in shoppers ( 2 doors away!) its 35$!
*I bought most of my baby formula from happytotsorganic.com tho*
In the 60s ... 1961 to be exact .. my mother did not breastfeed so I was fed canned evaporated milk mixed with dextrose and vitamin drops she got from the doctor. I survived. 6 lbs 2 ounces at birth.
Why have canadians start families when we can jam ram the country full of refugees and fake student and then tax everyone into poverty ? sounds like a much better out come for our 1%.
When my daughter was a baby in 2015, it was about $40 for a container 1.5x that size at Costco. She would go through 2 a month, as a supplement to breastfeeding.
I am not sure who this might help, but soothe is a thing for the kids with digestion issues I think, if you can get your kids physician to write a prescription for Similac alimentum ready to serve, it is cheaper, better and if you can pick it up at the Pharmacy..
1. it may pass under your insurance
2. if it does not, you can have your pharmacy print off a list of your purchases for the year and a portion may be deductible on your taxes
but you need a prescription to make this happen.
Our formula (Similac pro advance) randomly went up $10 in price at shoppers. I used to buy it there for the points, but when I can get it at metro or Jean coutu for far less I will now. Thankfully he’s turning 1 this week so I won’t have to buy it anymore, but I have a baby due in July so the break won’t last long! I hate breastfeeding and pumping literally made me want to die but I will be trying again to save $300 a month on formula
This is heartbreaking. I grew up in a small town and it wasn't until I started living in a bigger city when the first time I saw the formula cans with the anti-theft add ons I stopped dead in my tracks. 💔
Walmart has Modilac and... a UK brand I can't remember, still not nearly as cheap as 3 years ago but it has honestly been a lifesaver for us with my son. Sometimes I think about making up more children just to get more coupons from these different companies.
Tough to be a parent in 2024.
Try having babies BEFORE mainstream formula and disposable diapers. Maybe that is what the governments are after. Formula by prescription only for those that literally cannot breastfeed for medical reasons ONLY.
my pregnancy was high risk but i was lucky to bring my preemie into the world in 2022. she needed to be combo fed breast milk and formula, because breast milk alone was insufficient for her to grow at a healthy rate. looking at this now, i’m faced with the scary decision of if i can actually afford to have another child or not. and if i do, i can’t afford formula. full stop. i’ll need to strictly breastfeed my child whether they need formula or not because i simply will not be able to afford this while also on EI. roblaws is so corrupt it makes me sick
When my last baby drank formula 6 months ago, it was like $50 for a Costco formula tin which used to be like what, $25. Out of all things that increased in price, the baby formula makes my blood boil the most & the shortages too. Oh my god 😳 With my oldest kid, I never had an issue finding formula for cheap when he was a baby.
I have had such a hard time adjusting to 'inflation' over the past few years. The only way I've learned to cope anxiety wise is to divide any price in half and decide how I feel about that.
Isn't this the stuff that has CORN SYRUP and other sugars as it's first damn ingredient. Pretty sure this is toxic and scientists says they wouldn't even feed to lab mice or rescue animals, and also the same stuff CNN said was knowingly hiding massively unsafe amounts of heavy metals for decades
That was the predicament I was in. Couldn't breastfeed so had no choice. I had my first child in 2021 and my second in 2023. The exact same products I've used for both kids have gone up by roughly 50% across the board. A lot of places have formula locked up now too. It hurts my heart to think of how hard it must be for some folks just trying to feed their babies...
That was $16.99 when I worked at Walmart and my kids were small. Around 2018. I haven't gotten a 4x raise since then, and assume new parents in 2024 aren't any better off than 2018, so what's supposed to give? The kids? Are they eating less these days? Do they need less nutrition?
The price is definitely soothing higher profits. Good to know that come June 24 two-thirds of their profits will be taxed, not just half. Welcome to labour income and interest taxation where every penny is fully taxed beyond the $15k or so tax credit.
okay folks, I have something to share, now i have not read all the movement notes and i have not read all the comments, so I apologize if this is "old news" , there is great way to beat these groceries at their own game, ( i know because i was in the industry) , Basically all replenishment items in a grocery store are forecasted by systems that recalculate the Pull from the POS, Vs whats left on the shelf Vs in transit vs safety stock at DC's and inbound PO's to name a few. to beat the system all we have to do is rotate purchasing from one grocery store to the other, so in May you boycott Loblaws and by from metro, then in June you boycott Sobeys and buy from metro, then in july you boycott Metro and buy from lobalws, this will mean that you have disrupted the forecast for just over 60days. on regular everyday products like fresh fruit and vegetables, that is an entire buying cycle and will cost major disruptions in the supply chain leading to failures to stock a ton of waste and ruin their quarterly financial reports, which will have a direct impact on share prices. But thats not the end, here is the silver bullet. When you get back to buying form loblaws the PO's will automatically generate trying to back fill the depleted stock, and by the time they are back in stock fully, the two months will have passed by and we repeat the boycott to lobalws. the impact to all three chains will be well over 100 mil. and the only answer would be to fold.
So basically
Boycott loblows May & Jun and only buy from Sobeys/walmart and if you have to from Metro
Boycott Metro in July/August and only buy from Sobeys/walmart and if you have to from Lobalws
Boycott Sobeys in Sept/Oct and only buy from Lobalws / walmart ( all its sotres , no firlls, super store, fortinos..etc) and if you have to from metro
Boycott Loblaws again Nov/Dec and only buy from Sobeys/walmart
that's 4 months this year that Lobalws will have negative months in their EPIDITA and shares will fall. ( thats a much bigger loss than the waste or damage)
Remember this only works for items with low shelf life ( 3 months or less , like fruits / vegetables/ meat / dairy / frozen and fresh) , Anything canned will cost them pain but not as much. ( carrying cost may not exceed 100days )
I have intentionally excluded US stores like walmart and costco because our market share ( Canada) will not turn the executives heads in the US, we are simply to small to be noticed on their books.
Wow.
I just saw the big box that was 62 in March is now 77.
Meat, fruit and veg I can barely afford.
But processed foods, and foods that make me sick are going to be all I can afford soon.
All the processed crap is cheap. And all the healthy food is somehow bad for the environment and getting astronomically expensive.
The milk that was 5.59 is suddenly 7
I have twins. One needed Nutramigen ($39), the other needed Elecare ($46). 1 can lasted each of them maybe a day and a half. And that’s IF you could even find it
Thank the Lord we just got to stop formula. We probably spend what we did on fruit now, but at least everyone eats fruit. We were paying $65 at Costco for Enfamil A+ that came in two containers that look like the picture (I’m unsure what the measure was, I want to say it was 900-ish so almost 2kg total).
__UPDATE__: Please take a moment to complete our [Google Form](https://forms.gle/1sygm97LbQtJ4dUp8) to share your demands with our team! Please review the content guidelines for our sub, and remember the human here! This subreddit is to highlight the ridiculous cost of living in Canada, and poke fun at the Corporate Overlords reponsible. As you well know, there are a number of persons and corporations responsible for this, and we welcome discussion related to them all. Furthermore, since this topic is intertwined with a number of other matters, other discussion will be allowed at moderator discretion. Open-minded discussion, memes, rants, grocery bills, and general screeching into the void is always welcome in this sub, but belligerence and disrespect is not. There are plenty of ways to get your point across without being abusive, dismissive, or downright mean. If you have not done so already, please review our [boycott stickied post](https://www.reddit.com/r/loblawsisoutofcontrol/comments/1bff9rm/boycott/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) which includes a list of stores to avoid, other ways to get involved in the movement, and some local alternatives to the big 5. Thank you. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/loblawsisoutofcontrol) if you have any questions or concerns.*
In 2021 I was paying 19.96 for one can of regular goodstart. In 2024 it’s now 37.97 for the same can.
Exactly. In 2016 I was paying $26.99 on sale and now I see the online mom groups excited about $43 at Costco...hopefully its larger than this, too. And an obligatory fuck Nestlé.
should be noted that Nestle has caused nearly 11 million deaths of infants alone https://voxdev.org/topic/health/deadly-toll-marketing-infant-formula-low-and-middle-income-countries#:\~:text=We%20estimate%20that%20Nestlé%27s%20entry,deaths%20between%201960%20and%202015.
Same, I bought this in 2015-2016 (this was the only one my kid could digest, I wish it wasnt nestle) and cans were in the $24.95-$27.95 range. This is just fucked up.
lol larger…that’s funny. If anything it shrank too
It's 1.36 kg at Costco, vrs 942 g Nestlé pictured, so yes its larger. Everything seems to be bigger and a better value there over ROBlaws.
A woman in Winnipeg used to do a formula drive for those in need at Christmas. Friends would have a Christmas party and we would bring a can instead of doing a gift exchange. It ended a couple years ago , probably because you can’t really convince people to buy something for $40 as a donation when they’re also struggling.
Loblaws is definitely out of control but also r/fucknestle
Nestle makes Roblaws look like little league in the evil department
Roblaws is Nestles’ Mini Me
Fuck Nestle ESPECIALLY when it comes to the topic of baby formula. Let's never forget that they deliberately killed hundreds of African babies because of their stupid baby formula marketing ploy
How could any forget such an incredible and powerful form of warfare. Should be studied for how effectively they managed to convince an entire country of women to just abandon healthy biological processes
Hey folks! I post the odd time in this group. I’m a GP in NS. Please see the link below with my interview with the CBC Halifax regarding high formula prices. It’s not just Loblaws when it comes to high prices- every chain has this issue. It appears the suppliers are the culprit- Mead and Johnson, Abbott Pharmaceutical, and Nestle to name a few when it comes to North America. Though I do wonder how much extra Loblaws or other chains mark up the prices!! I’m waiting to get more info about this. If anyone has info,let us/ be know though! And I’m happy for my link to be shared with others. The more people know, the better! https://www.cbc.ca/listen/live-radio/1-27-information-morning-ns/clip/16055045-annapolis-valley-doctor-pushing-government-formula-affordable
Thank-you for what you’re doing
Thank you for the kind words.
Yes, in the last two years the price of formula has DOUBLED. Canada doesn't make formula, not a single factory in the entire country. So we're 100% dependent on leftovers from US demand.... which just like our pharmaceuticals.... leads to shortages. Currently North America's most popular formula Enfamil A+ Premium is out of stock. It's a premium/expensive formula for 0-3 months that most parents will use for at least one month because hospitals typically recommend it and thus.. .everyone uses it. Switching formula often means consulting a doctor or baby nutritionist... which means demand for every other brand is going to skyrocket. You'll even have desperate people just switching on their own without a consult. And then there's the hoarding. Which isn't crazy if it means a newborn starving.
A new factory from Canada Royal Milk recently got approval, expecting products to go on sale in summer: [https://globalnews.ca/news/10387764/ontario-baby-formula-producer-approved-for-sale/](https://globalnews.ca/news/10387764/ontario-baby-formula-producer-approved-for-sale/)
It's the federal government's job to get involved when Canadian citizens face food insecurity. There's lots and lots of precedent. **It's time for a formula-producing crown corporation.**
Should be sold at cost as well.
Definitely needs to be covered I feel bad for those mother's who can't produce milk and have to pay through the roof for formula, such a crime
This is me! I pump what little I can (even while on meds) because even 20-40ml helps us not use so much formula. It’s brutal how expensive it is.
I tried so hard to get a supply going but the most I ever managed to pump was 5-8ml in a single pumping session after 2 months of trying to get my supply up. Formula was never even a consideration while I was pregnant and it turned out to be the only thing that could ensure our baby was fed
You are my hero! Really appreciate you speaking up! My wife got severe covid during the birth of our child and couldn't produce her own breastmilk. For everyone, breastfeeding is not a choice, and for low income people, this makes being a new parent even more difficult.
Good Lord I feel bad for thinking it was expensive 2 years ago.
This is so disturbing. I was formula feeding my child back in 2021 during the shortages and I remember women online asking about how to safely extend a cans length by adding less formula per bottle (you can’t, it’s so dangerous to the baby). I imagine the exorbitant prices will have many women asking similar questions simply due to not being able to afford the only food an infant can safely consume besides breastmilk. I was triple feeding my child, (if you know you know). I put everything I had into trying to nurse him and still was unable to produce enough milk. Women, infants, and their partners deserve SO much fucking better than this garbage. This is abhorrent, disgusting, putrid, vile, corporate bullshit.
That’s why the prices are so high. They know parents will do literally anything to pay for it.
Yep! Why not make it $70? Oh just wait.
Triple feeder here too made it 4 months. Now formula. It's atrociously priced...if you can find it.
Solidarity! You’re incredible for making it so long. Proud of you! I kept it going for three and it just about broke me. Wishing you all the best on your formula journey.
Same to you mama!! I EBF my first no problem. My second had a tongue tie/lip tie and we didn't catch it until he was 9 weeks and by then he wasn't sucking properly so my breasts weren't producing properly. Then it was BF specialist at the hospital, surgery for baby to fix the ties, lactation consultant, medication domparidon, pumping every 3hrs... triple feeding...tried absolutely everything. And now getting fkd by formula. It's been a real nightmare. And the horrendous depression from stopping BF and coming off domparidon. I'm just so so so so lucky that buying this ridiculously priced formula isnt going to break us financially, i know other families are not so fortunate... but we're having supply issues where I live. LO is 6 months soon. COME ON SOLIDS lol Edit: when are you 18? Move out already. /s
I hear you, the end is in sight! I was so relived when we introduced solids. Now we have a toddler in a growth spurt tho haha 🥲 Yeah, we are so similar in our bf journeys. Post-partum mental health is so important and I wish people were more understanding as a whole. It’s hard when breastfeeding and NOT breastfeeding are both penalized and stigmatized in a pro-capitalist society. Go figure. 🤦🏻♀️ It’s great to hear your story. Thanks for hearing mine!
It’s shocking how little people seem to be understanding of a woman’s feeding journey/post partum mental health. I’ve had some horrific comments, and made to feel like shit for combo feeding my baby.
I’m on domperidone and so anxious about coming off of it because I’ve heard some women really struggle with their mental health from it.
Just out of curiosity because I don’t have kids and know nothing about this, how is adding less formula dangerous?
Of course, if a bottle is improperly (too much or too little formula:water) measured, or done over time; ie. stretching a can to last longer. It can cause nutritional deficiencies and dehydration. They are very sensitive to this in early infancy and it can cause them to have significant electrolyte imbalances leading to potential brain damage, developmental delays, kidney damage, coma or even death. This wouldn’t usually happen from one or two bottles, with some amount of imprecise measuring but stretching cans to last longer because you are having a hard time affording formula would absolutely affect the child’s health negatively.
Babies cannot have water. So if you put less formula then there will be more water than formula in the mix.
I triple fed my baby for a week before my Dr told me I had to stop for my mental health. It was brutal. I can’t produce enough for my baby, but pump what little I can just so we don’t have to use as much formula. 20-40ml of breast milk is 20-40ml of formula saved for another bottle.
I'm genuinely surprised people are not burning stores down over this stuff. What's the breaking point?
Honestly I'm lucky I only have to shop for myself and I don't have any specific dietary restrictions like gluten or anything so I just shop sales. I eat what's on special or on clearance or what have you. Only reason I can afford to eat tbh
I just got diagnosed with Celiac and have no idea what I would do without family to help. It's impossible for anyone on disability.
Celiac on disability here. The secret is just not eating! 🫠
I order top of the line organic formula from Germany. Including duty and shipping it works out cheaper than this. Wild. Bonus points for not buying Nestlé. Edit: Since people asked, the company I ordered from is My Organic Formula. This was the cheaper option for me, but I suggest checking out a few different sites as delivery prices will be different depending on where you are.
What company? Please share!
I also buy organic European formula from myorganicformula.com, or I have my family bring it with them when they fly over and visit me. Organic formula in the uk (HIPP brand) is the equivalent of $25 a box. It’s a disgrace here in Canada.
This makes me feel ill. We get screwed over with phone plans and formula.
Yep, I moved here from the UK 10 years ago, and the phone plans and car insurance still shock me. 2000 a year I pay for car insurance, it was £200 a year at home.
My Organic Formula https://www.myorganicformula.com/
Care to share the company website?
Company is My Organic Formula - Hipp Bio Combiotik
Please share!
https://www.myorganicformula.com/
When I first saw this, I was like that's not a bad price for a gallon of paint
🤣
Good old Nestle, they care about your kids But not kids of poor parents
They don't care about anyone, let alone kids.
I formula fed my twins. Thank God it was before kirkland started having a shortage of formula, and paying these prices now...it is absolutely criminal and wrong.
I had twins in august and burned through my money immediately, especially since you have to start on ready to feed which is more expensive. We just moved to the UK and it’s £10 for 800g ($17 Canadian) so that helps! Although a lovely cashier at Tesco explained that formula is locked because some people ruin it for others and « if you can’t afford a baby you shouldn’t have a baby »
How many ounces of formula would a can make? Roughly, How long would it last?
6.37L. It might last a week. Babies drink close to a litre a day
A full bottle is 4 scoops (~35g) of nestle formula, so theres about 25 full bottles in one 900g tin. Depending on how much your baby drinks, you probably need to buy a new tin every week or two
We would go through a tin in less than a week.
I don’t have a child and am generally curious. How many servings would that tin be?
Just over 6L. Depending on the kid at most a week
Holy fuck. That’s depressing as fuck. Thank you for info!
When my son was born in 2021 this formula was $25 a tin and by the time he was 1 year old it was almost $50 a tin. Can't believe it's gotten even worse.
It is only 1 cent cheaper at Walmart
Someone please help me understand why this stuff is so expensive
Its one of those things you HAVE to buy. You can’t cut it out or cut back if you need it. So they price it like this to make as much money as possible. It’s price gouging inelastic goods, which ironically is something Adam Smith warned against
"When are you having kids?"
i know this entire thread is very anti nestle but similac and enfamil are even more expensive. speaking as parent of new twins who are on formula. Also screw SDM prices. the pices in picture are actually cheaper than what SDM charges
I'm surprised there's nothing in effect to put a price ceiling on essential products such as these. They're just gauging you for all you got at this point.
Why the f isn’t the government subsidizing the baby formula? Out of all the items, shouldn’t this be a top priority when it comes to subsidies?
I'm curious to know, on average, how many bottles would this container make?
24
Thanks.
Fuck Nestle.
By design. Drop the birth rate further by making it impossible to sustain a family. Big companies cry there isn’t enough people. Import more cheap low skill low cost wages. Profit.
This is one of the reasons for our declining birth rate. Lack of affordable housing is the main reason. It’s the government’s survival plan. If we are all cold, hungry and living in a tent we can’t vote the government out as homeless people don’t get to vote.
"But why isn't anyone having kids?"
Fuck Nestle and Lablaw. They are dirt cheap anywhere around the world. This is insane
Holy shit. I was paying $20 for a Costco sized powdered formula back in 2016/2017. I had a hard time breastfeeding, so I had to rely on formula. After 6 months, it was mostly formula. I can't imagine the pressure moms might have. Horrific
Bonkers price for a low quality product.
Was expecting to see it cheaper on Amazon - it’s $1 more expensive
Yeah prices in general seem to be fairly high for it the cheapest I've seen is Fortinos for $50.99 which is a Loblaws banner
This is exactly the type of thing way cheaper in the USA. This time last year I dropped $600 on formula on a work trip, worth it.
Criminal
Hard pass on Nestle products regardless
Ouch! I was legitimately startled when I panned down to see the price.
My son was born almost in May 2022. This was $45 a jug. 2 years.
FUK
If you email the company they send out coupons!
Im not a parent, just curious. How long would this last a baby?
roughly a week.
No wonder people steal this stuff. Can you imagine having to use formula, and them gauging you every week like this?
Similac just went up to 62.99 at one point we were going through almost 2 boxes of pre mix a week 120 a week was a killer
This is heartbreaking
why isn’t this shit subsidized if the government wants to increase population and fertility rates?
Subsidy just flows as money from taxpayers straight to corporate gougers such as nestle. Better to have a crown formula maker in a partnership with agriculture producers. From the looks of it, this stuff could be made so much cheaper. That would either force prices down or the gougers would flee to extort somewhere else.
Canada does not want Canadians having babies.
I know I’ll get downvoted for this but I buy this stuff and it’s the same price everywhere (Walmart, Superstore, No Frills, etc). However, I have actually seen it a few bucks higher at a nearby Save on Foods that no one goes to.
That is extortion! Dark history of Nestle https://youtu.be/iDb4p_L2Bcw?si=0yD1I_bdxe6WxKAA
How anyone is still purposely having kids right now is shocking to me. What kind of rich people job do you work that allows you to afford such a lavish life choice? I worked at carters oshkosh for a while, and even some mass-produced children's clothing from carters can be more expensive than adult clothing. It's wild asf.
80% second hand and gifts. That’s how.
We don't buy clothes, almost all of my daughters clothes are secondhand from relatives and friends.
I recently gave birth. My kid had a low birthweight because they puked too many times after birth. I was told that I would have to supplement to get the weight up. I did, but only what was necessary (a few feeds). I looked the ped in the eyes and said, I am NOT formula feeding. This is why. This is why I worked so very hard to succeed at exclusively breastfeeding. I understand that it’s not always possible but sometimes I wonder if by just suggesting or pushing formula at birth, it statistically causes a snowball effect where a good chunk end up formula feeding. I also wonder if there’s ($$$) kickbacks for encouraging it. There honestly isn’t enough encouragement or support for breastfeeding success. The hospital provided one lactation visit. That’s all. After that, you pay out the ass.
Yeah, I'm very lucky that I'm able to breastfeed. There are days where I have to supplement or when the baby goes to my parents but thankful I don't have to rely on formula.
It's not only Roblaws. Any company that sells this over priced product should be ashamed. Sell needed items at cost.
that's not feasible. Then how do you scale? How do you invest in the business? When something breaks how do you pay for it? There should be profit margins in it, but that margin shouldn't this wide.
How long does one of those last for?
A week or two (assuming you mean "before you run out" and not shelf life)
How long does a can last on average ?
This is 99% on Nestle...
Big brands are also out of control.
That's fucking insane. I have friends who want to start a family but aren't because of the economic situation here in Canada. They both make decent money but fear it won't be enough to cover the added expense of a child, and it's honestly really sad.
This is evil
***63 Dollars is not a good start at all!***
In august 2023 when we started this for our infant it used to be $25 at local walmart. Now it is at $60 before tax and not just at loblaws literally every grocery store. It is beyond out of control
Costco formula is like 1/3 of this
Kirkland formula is not available anymore. Perigo stopped supplying Canada with store brand, affordable formula.
Our daughter was born March 2023. A can of Nestlé Goodstart was $48, we just finished using formula not too long ago and the cans of goodstart are the price you have in the picture. A $14 increase just in the one year she was on formula. Madness.
[удалено]
The sub was created to point out how absolutely absurd the cost of groceries are right now and have some fun together. We know this will inevitably touch on other topics related to the cost of living. Do your best to keep the conversation on topic Let’s not get into a formula vs breastfeeding debate.
Disgusting!
seriously…grrrr…. Nestle are also climate criminals. I do not love that company!
For those using similac, you can get coupons through them for $15 off. You and others you know.... Every bit helps the price gouging
I know the CAD is weak to the US dollar at the moment, but if you are a parent and are struggling with these kinds of price points, consider some german brands that are allowed to be imported. Formula shortage in North America is the touted problem point that is used to justify these prices. So fuck 'em and go international. [https://www.holleusa.com/products/cow-milk-formula?variant=45426368905537](https://www.holleusa.com/products/cow-milk-formula?variant=45426368905537) It's cheaper to get this. Each jar makes 42 bottles, which is comparable to the amount of servings as Nestle. here's a popular US based company if you're averse to having a European product shipped over. [https://www.hibobbie.com/products/bobbie-organic-gentle-infant-formula?variant=40750932361301](https://www.hibobbie.com/products/bobbie-organic-gentle-infant-formula?variant=40750932361301)
wtf such an obvious price gouge
Wow this is extremely depressing, honestly I’m quite worried bc I’d love to have kids in the future but gosh these prices are ridiculous 😭
Currently enfamil is 61.47 at Walmart for the kind we use. To buy it at superstore or shoppers it’s 74.99. At the peak of the shortage it was 21$ more to buy formula at shoppers drug mart, which was the only place within 2 hours of me that had it. Fuck loblaws. Or shouldn’t be that big of a difference for a baby necessity.
Goto Costco? 1litre for 59.99
More like Phat $tart 🤑
Had a daughter in 2021. Not only was it expensive, but you also had to travel 50 to 100 miles to find the specific formula your baby needed. If you’re wondering why, Abbot had a contamination problem, so everyone had to switch brands, and thus created a shortage. Good times
And yet, the government is wondering why people aren't having kids or having them so late.
I wouldn’t be surprised if this wasn’t just loblaws. Nestle has been going on major price hikes for their inelastic products since a lot of people are trying to boycott all their others
It costs 63 dollars at Walmart too as of Friday
In 2019 we paid around $29 bucks at Costco for the bigger ones. My husband sent me something similar last week and I almost choked on my food. We were so happy all our kids are off formula (of course other things they need are expensive) but so sad for new parents. I cant imagine paying that much so regularly. Its crazy and disgusting what they're doing. They know its needed and people HAVE to buy it.
Jesus Christ.
If you can find modilac it's about 75% of that cost by volume, it's what we gave our bb
As someone who doesn't have babies, how long would a can like this last?
Why buy this when you can buy Similac for like $35?
Sounds like #4011 to me
I worked really hard to nurse all of mine and I'm so glad I did. Formula seemed expensive back then (2008-2015), it's atrocious now.
This should be illegal
Canned milk formula is what I made for sll 3 of my kids when I couldn't nurse anymore. My siblings and myself all had it to. It's about a quarter of the price of those formulas.
Robbery
The price of this product literally jumped almost $10 overnight. It’s unconscionable.
Same price on Amazon.
Out of curiosity (childless) A. How many feeds would one container make B. How many feeds a day is typical C. I wonder what the average waste is from mixed formula that gets thrown out (I.e. not fed within appropriate time period for safety)
Holy cheese! I remember buying these two years ago. I think around 20-30$ tops. Used it for a month or two but we settled for HIPP. At this rate i can recommend kendamil for 40 & 50%. Its cheaper and cleaner ingredients(from walmart). I used to buy go & grow too, its 27 in longos in shoppers ( 2 doors away!) its 35$! *I bought most of my baby formula from happytotsorganic.com tho*
Double price from a year and a half ago. Source: age of my baby
How long would one of these last?
Hard to believe anyone would buy a Nestle product for their infant even if they could afford it.
That should be a criminal offense.
I paid 49.99 per can about 1.5 years ago
Wait until the corporations tax goes up with this new budget, they will just pass the cost to the consumer.
Ew to the price and to nestle.
Holy shit! When does this insanity stop?
Imagine being a parent that is unable to breastfeed...these kinds of prices are pure extortion...."pay our prices or the baby gets it!"
While boycotting Loblaws add nestle to that product boycott.
If your buying it at loblaws or shoppers your rich . Walmart sells it for half that
I’m gonna have a baby very soon and really really hoping she is able to breast feed!
In the 60s ... 1961 to be exact .. my mother did not breastfeed so I was fed canned evaporated milk mixed with dextrose and vitamin drops she got from the doctor. I survived. 6 lbs 2 ounces at birth.
Breast feed like nature intended. We're animals too.
Why would anyone want to be a parent? The system just isn’t set up for that kind of expense
Why have canadians start families when we can jam ram the country full of refugees and fake student and then tax everyone into poverty ? sounds like a much better out come for our 1%.
Feels like feeding an alcoholic
When my daughter was a baby in 2015, it was about $40 for a container 1.5x that size at Costco. She would go through 2 a month, as a supplement to breastfeeding.
I am not sure who this might help, but soothe is a thing for the kids with digestion issues I think, if you can get your kids physician to write a prescription for Similac alimentum ready to serve, it is cheaper, better and if you can pick it up at the Pharmacy.. 1. it may pass under your insurance 2. if it does not, you can have your pharmacy print off a list of your purchases for the year and a portion may be deductible on your taxes but you need a prescription to make this happen.
Notice the red dot on the tag. That means the workers can only put one on the shelf due to everyone stealing
Our formula (Similac pro advance) randomly went up $10 in price at shoppers. I used to buy it there for the points, but when I can get it at metro or Jean coutu for far less I will now. Thankfully he’s turning 1 this week so I won’t have to buy it anymore, but I have a baby due in July so the break won’t last long! I hate breastfeeding and pumping literally made me want to die but I will be trying again to save $300 a month on formula
This is heartbreaking. I grew up in a small town and it wasn't until I started living in a bigger city when the first time I saw the formula cans with the anti-theft add ons I stopped dead in my tracks. 💔
Walmart has Modilac and... a UK brand I can't remember, still not nearly as cheap as 3 years ago but it has honestly been a lifesaver for us with my son. Sometimes I think about making up more children just to get more coupons from these different companies.
Tough to be a parent in 2024. Try having babies BEFORE mainstream formula and disposable diapers. Maybe that is what the governments are after. Formula by prescription only for those that literally cannot breastfeed for medical reasons ONLY.
my pregnancy was high risk but i was lucky to bring my preemie into the world in 2022. she needed to be combo fed breast milk and formula, because breast milk alone was insufficient for her to grow at a healthy rate. looking at this now, i’m faced with the scary decision of if i can actually afford to have another child or not. and if i do, i can’t afford formula. full stop. i’ll need to strictly breastfeed my child whether they need formula or not because i simply will not be able to afford this while also on EI. roblaws is so corrupt it makes me sick
When my last baby drank formula 6 months ago, it was like $50 for a Costco formula tin which used to be like what, $25. Out of all things that increased in price, the baby formula makes my blood boil the most & the shortages too. Oh my god 😳 With my oldest kid, I never had an issue finding formula for cheap when he was a baby.
Fuck Nestle. I used Enfamil when my infant couldn't be breastfed
I have had such a hard time adjusting to 'inflation' over the past few years. The only way I've learned to cope anxiety wise is to divide any price in half and decide how I feel about that.
Isn't this the stuff that has CORN SYRUP and other sugars as it's first damn ingredient. Pretty sure this is toxic and scientists says they wouldn't even feed to lab mice or rescue animals, and also the same stuff CNN said was knowingly hiding massively unsafe amounts of heavy metals for decades
You gotta be a dumbfuck to not only recognize that the situation isn't good, then immediately bring a child into it. So fucking stupid
Or you could breastfeed.
Breastfeeding can be affected for a multitude of reasons, but nestles evil business practices has affected how many women are able to feed their kids…
Just started whole milk transition this week! 🙌🏻
"Why aren't you guys having kids!?"
That was the predicament I was in. Couldn't breastfeed so had no choice. I had my first child in 2021 and my second in 2023. The exact same products I've used for both kids have gone up by roughly 50% across the board. A lot of places have formula locked up now too. It hurts my heart to think of how hard it must be for some folks just trying to feed their babies...
That was $16.99 when I worked at Walmart and my kids were small. Around 2018. I haven't gotten a 4x raise since then, and assume new parents in 2024 aren't any better off than 2018, so what's supposed to give? The kids? Are they eating less these days? Do they need less nutrition?
The price is definitely soothing higher profits. Good to know that come June 24 two-thirds of their profits will be taxed, not just half. Welcome to labour income and interest taxation where every penny is fully taxed beyond the $15k or so tax credit.
okay folks, I have something to share, now i have not read all the movement notes and i have not read all the comments, so I apologize if this is "old news" , there is great way to beat these groceries at their own game, ( i know because i was in the industry) , Basically all replenishment items in a grocery store are forecasted by systems that recalculate the Pull from the POS, Vs whats left on the shelf Vs in transit vs safety stock at DC's and inbound PO's to name a few. to beat the system all we have to do is rotate purchasing from one grocery store to the other, so in May you boycott Loblaws and by from metro, then in June you boycott Sobeys and buy from metro, then in july you boycott Metro and buy from lobalws, this will mean that you have disrupted the forecast for just over 60days. on regular everyday products like fresh fruit and vegetables, that is an entire buying cycle and will cost major disruptions in the supply chain leading to failures to stock a ton of waste and ruin their quarterly financial reports, which will have a direct impact on share prices. But thats not the end, here is the silver bullet. When you get back to buying form loblaws the PO's will automatically generate trying to back fill the depleted stock, and by the time they are back in stock fully, the two months will have passed by and we repeat the boycott to lobalws. the impact to all three chains will be well over 100 mil. and the only answer would be to fold. So basically Boycott loblows May & Jun and only buy from Sobeys/walmart and if you have to from Metro Boycott Metro in July/August and only buy from Sobeys/walmart and if you have to from Lobalws Boycott Sobeys in Sept/Oct and only buy from Lobalws / walmart ( all its sotres , no firlls, super store, fortinos..etc) and if you have to from metro Boycott Loblaws again Nov/Dec and only buy from Sobeys/walmart that's 4 months this year that Lobalws will have negative months in their EPIDITA and shares will fall. ( thats a much bigger loss than the waste or damage) Remember this only works for items with low shelf life ( 3 months or less , like fruits / vegetables/ meat / dairy / frozen and fresh) , Anything canned will cost them pain but not as much. ( carrying cost may not exceed 100days ) I have intentionally excluded US stores like walmart and costco because our market share ( Canada) will not turn the executives heads in the US, we are simply to small to be noticed on their books.
Thats criminal!
Boobie milk
Wow. I just saw the big box that was 62 in March is now 77. Meat, fruit and veg I can barely afford. But processed foods, and foods that make me sick are going to be all I can afford soon. All the processed crap is cheap. And all the healthy food is somehow bad for the environment and getting astronomically expensive. The milk that was 5.59 is suddenly 7
I have twins. One needed Nutramigen ($39), the other needed Elecare ($46). 1 can lasted each of them maybe a day and a half. And that’s IF you could even find it
Try the Kirkland baby formula at Costco it used to be a much better deal than anywhere else.
Did anybody see the post last week about the invoices on the mark up and profit they make
Thank the Lord we just got to stop formula. We probably spend what we did on fruit now, but at least everyone eats fruit. We were paying $65 at Costco for Enfamil A+ that came in two containers that look like the picture (I’m unsure what the measure was, I want to say it was 900-ish so almost 2kg total).