If you’ve started to wonder whether the port strike might affect your access to formula and diapers for your baby, you’re not alone.
“I’m getting worried that this strike will impact the formula availability,” writes one mom in the What to Expect Community. “My formula is already sold out in the state and no shipping is available at this time. Definitely a stressful time.”
The port strike is happening at major docks along the east and Gulf coasts of the U.S. Thousands of longshoremen and dock workers went on strike beginning Tuesday, October 1, with the goal of getting higher wages and protections from automation systems that would take over certain jobs going forward. These specific ports are responsible for shipping 70% of U.S. exports and receiving 56% of containerized U.S. imports, according to the National Association of Manufacturers.[1] This means that a lot of the imported goods that you typically use or eat, like bananas for example, come into these ports before making their way to you.
It is completely understandable if you're wondering how this strike will affect your chances of getting formula, diapers and other essentials now — and over the next few weeks. Here's what Mark Weinstock, clinical associate professor of economics at Pace University, wants you to know as you think ahead for your little ones.
What parents need to know about the port strike
The port strike involves members of the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA), which is the largest union of maritime workers in North America. These workers are responsible for loading and unloading goods as they come in off of ships at these ports. Negotiations with the U.S. Maritime Alliance (USMX), an alliance of companies that operate East and Gulf Coast ports, have been going on for a while — but the strike started after their negotiations failed.
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“The strike is happening for two reasons,” says Weinstock. “There’s a demand for higher wages, and the union is also looking into the future and they are fighting automation.” The ILA is concerned that many positions in ports will eventually be “heavily automated,” which would eliminate several jobs, he says. As a result, the ILA is asking port management to delay or refuse to implement automated crane technology, loading and unloading systems, along with other automation systems, says Weinstock. But they’re also asking for a 70% increase in pay, and many already make more than $200,000 a year with overtime, “which is raising a few eyebrows,” he adds.
It’s unclear at this time how long the strike will last,” says Weinstock. “All goods have the potential to be impacted." And while that may sound scary, we’re talking more about shipping delays here as ships make their way to ports on the West Coast and then are transferred by trucks or trains to their final destinations — meaning that these items will eventually come to a store near you.
Will the port strike affect diapers?
Yes, the port strike may impact diapers — but it stands to impact everything, says Weinstock. A large percentage of the shipping volume in the U.S. comes through these ports, he says. Those goods are already being redirected to other ports around the country (mostly on the west coast), but that means that it will take even longer for products (including diapers) to make their way to their final destination, he says. “They have to be shipped on rail and by truck,” he says. “It will be more expensive.”
As a result, there will be a delay on how long it takes for everything from furniture to diapers, medications, automobiles, toys and jewelry to get to us, says Weinstock. Unfortunately, the extra cost of shipping all those goods may also increase prices, he says.
But whether this will actually impact your ability to get diapers depends on the length of the strike. “If the strike lasts a month or less, I believe the impact on parents who need to buy diapers is going to be minimal, if any,” Weinstock says. “But if it lasts more than a month, there is an increasing likelihood that parents may find they’re having to take more frequent trips looking for diapers — and they will become pricier than they are now.”
That said, a lot depends on where the diapers you like to purchase are made, as well as where the materials they rely on are sourced from. A lot of major diaper brands, like Huggies and Pampers, are made in the U.S. so they may not be impacted all that much by the strike, unless a lot of panic buying occurs. “There’s an extent to which US manufacturers can increase their own production, too” Weinstock says. “If they have the capacity to do that, they will do that to gain more market share.”
Will the port strike affect the formula supply?
Like with diapers, there is also a chance that the port strike may impact the formula supply. But Weinstock stresses that this doesn’t mean you won’t be able to get formula. “Firms are going to take every available action to minimize the impact of the strike on consumers,” he says.
It’s important to point out that this is very different from the 2022 formula shortage. That was linked to recalls, which meant that less formula was being produced and circulating in the supply chain — this is just a delay in getting formula to you, but it is still being made at the same volume.
“I would not see this as anywhere near an emergency situation,” Weinstock says.
As with diapers, it's also important to remember that many formula manufacturers (like Abbott Nutrition, which produces the extremely popular brand Similac and Mead Johnson Nutrition, which produces popular brand Enfamil) are based in the United States, so they’ll be less impacted by the port strike. Some formula companies are already taking to social media to remind their customers of that. For example, formula company Bobbie posted an Instagram Reel reassuring their customers that their plants are based here and the formula doesn't have to be imported through one of the affected ports.
So why are some formula brands already out of stock?
If you're having issues finding smaller formula brands like Kendamil, it's not directly related to the port strike. It's likely because of panic buying on the part of parents who have heard about the port strike and then went to the store to stock up on mass quantities. In fact, Kendamil's founders have released a statement on their website reassuring customers that they are working hard to keep up with the increase in demand for their formula.[2]
Should you buy any baby supplies in bulk, just in case?
Again, if your preferred diaper and formula brands are made in the U.S. and aren’t going through the ports, there’s no need to worry.
Weinstock warns against panic buying, which can make potential supply chain issues even worse.
If you have a child that relies on a certain formula, Weinstock recommends “increasing your home supply moderately.” That may mean having one or two extra cans or packs handy, just in case you have trouble finding more when you need it. It’s also a good idea to start shopping for more before you run out, so you’re not scrambling when you only have a bottle’s worth of formula left.
If you’re having trouble locating your go-to formula brand, reach out to friends and family to see if they are able to get it where they live – or you can turn to local mom groups on social media to ask if anyone has seen your preferred formula in a store near them. That way you don't have to go from store to store looking for it.
If you absolutely cannot find your baby's formula, it’s okay to switch to another similar formula, says Dr. Posner. You can ask your pediatrician for a recommendation, but you can also select a formula that has similar ingredients from a different brand. For example, if your child uses a gentle version of one formula, a gentle version with similar ingredients from another brand will likely be well tolerated by your baby. And if your baby's formula is made from cow's milk, it's best to stick to another formula type made with cow's milk rather than goat's milk, for example.[3]
If you have any of your old formula left, you can also slowly incorporate the new. "I recommend mixing the old one with the new one and slowly putting less and less of the old one in, " says Gina Posner, M.D., a California-based pediatrician and What to Expert Medical Review Board member.
If your child relies on a certain medication, it’s also worth checking in with their pediatrician to see if you may need to get a larger supply in advance, just to be safe, Weinstock says.
As for diapers, you can also pick up an extra pack if you’re particularly concerned, he says. However, Weinstock stresses that there’s no need to panic or stockpile. “I would not go crazy with storing items,” he says.
Again, Weinstock points out that companies want to get their products to you and that there are no shortages the supply chain — just delays in getting products from point A to B. That means the odds are high that you won’t have much trouble getting the formula, diapers and more that you need — it just may take a few extra days to arrive on shelves near you. But if you have one extra box or can stashed away (no need for several), you should be just fine.
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