Coles Elsternwick posts Chinese language notices advising of baby formula restrictions

RETAILING giant Coles has left the public in no doubt about who is behind the baby formula shortage by posting customer notices in Chinese.

Chinese signs point to baby formula restrictions

COLES is telling customers in Chinese they can’t buy more than four cans of baby formula at a time as demand for popular brands continues to exceed supply.

The retail giant’s Elsternwick store posted the customer notices this week in Chinese only, a tacit acknowledgment that demand from the world’s most populous nation is driving the shortage.

Non-Chinese speakers were left in the dark as there was no English version available, although Coles spokesman Blair Speedy said usually both English and Chinese notices were posted.

A translation of the notice advises that due to supply issues in the short term sale quantities were limited to four units per customer and assures customers: “We will endeavour to be back in full supply as soon as possible”.

The Coles customer notice about a four-can limit for customers buying baby formula as it should appear in both Chinese and English.

The translation of the customer notice at Coles Elsternwick says: "“Due to supply issues that we are experiencing in the short term with infant formula, and to ensure formula is available to all customers, sale quantities are limited to 4 units per customer. We will endeavour to be back in full supply as soon as possible”.

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Chinese nationals and foreign students have been blamed for buying the cans in bulk and shipping them home, where locally-produced baby formula is on the nose.

In July Chinese Chamber of Commerce Victoria member Kee Saw told Leader students were buying milk powder from supermarkets and selling it overseas to Chinese buyers, who saw Australian products as “clean, of high standard and unpolluted”.

Shelves at Coles, Waterloo are bare of certain baby formula due to customers buying the product and sending it to China.

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Mr Speedy said the four-can restriction ensured the ongoing supply to customers.

“There had been a significant growth in international demand for Australian-produced infant formula,” he said.

In 2013 fears about the safety of infant products in China lead to a shortage of what was Australia’s top-selling baby formula, Karicare Aptamil Gold, as well as other brands.

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