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Supermarkets taking drastic action to stop baby formula hoarders

Australian supermarkets have resorted to drastic new measures to stop shoppers raiding shelves of baby formula in a bid to make huge profits by shipping it off to China.

Eager shoppers stockpiling highly-sought-after brands of baby formula has become a familiar sight in Australia over recent years.

It has caused fury among mums who have struggled to find formula for their babies as a result of the online scheme.

While major supermarkets had previously introduced a limit to how many tins shoppers can purchase at once, Coles have now taken that one step further to help stop the practice known as Daigou.

Some supermarkets are going to extreme lengths to stop baby formula being cleared from shelves and sold at huge profits in China. Source: Sunrise
Some supermarkets are going to extreme lengths to stop baby formula being cleared from shelves and sold at huge profits in China. Source: Sunrise

Tins are being taken out of the supermarket aisle and are instead being kept behind the counter with cigarettes and razors.

A sign spotted in a Coles supermarket in Five Dock, Sydney, read “Attention customers, A2 and Aptamil Gold Baby Formula is located at the service desk”.

Formula worth $20 to $30 has been spotted online selling for as much as $100 per tin overseas.

Sunrise guest commentator Ron Wilson said the idea makes sense if it helps take care of local families struggling to get their hands on the right formula.

This sign was spotted in a Coles supermarket in Five Dock, Sydney. Source: Sunrise
This sign was spotted in a Coles supermarket in Five Dock, Sydney. Source: Sunrise

“I think this is not a bad idea, they’ve tried to ration it by getting people to do the right thing with the product on the shelves and that is not working,” he said.

“I think this idea of physically rationing it out is the only way to go.”

Experts believe the high demand for Australian formula is a result of long-running contamination issues within Chinese milk products.

Earlier this year, a My Chemist store in Melbourne came under fire after shoppers were allowed to stock up on the baby formula before the tins even hit the shelves.

Video taken outside the CBD store shows shoppers queuing outside in the early hours of the morning, waiting for the doors to open before racing in and nabbing the tins straight from a trolley.