Target, Kroger, Walgreens, and CVS are limiting purchases of baby formula as frantic parents face shortages

• Major retailers are implementing baby formula purchase limits, the WSJ reported Tuesday.
• The move comes amid supply chain issues, a recall from Abbott Nutrition, and high demand.

Four major retailers are rationing purchases of baby formula, as recalls and supply-chain issues have forced some parents to scramble to find it, the Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday.

Target, Kroger, CVS Health, and Walgreens Boots Alliance are all limiting how much baby formula can be bought online or at retail locations, the outlet reported.

A Target spokesperson told the Journal that their stores already have a five-per-day product purchase limit on baby formula in most states, per an FDA request.

CVS confirmed the report to Insider in a statement:

"Following supplier challenges and increased customer demand, we've added a limit of three baby formula products per purchase in our stores and online. We're continuing to work with our baby formula vendors to address this issue and we regret any inconvenience this causes our customers," the CVS spokesperson said.

There was no previous limit, the spokesperson added.

In February, the FDA advised consumers to not use certain products from brands Similac, Alimentum, and EleCare — made by parent company Abbott Nutrition's facility in Sturgis, Michigan — after three cases linked to cronobacter sakazakii and one of salmonella newport were reported.

Abbott later expanded the recall after an infant death was reported.

These recalls apparently further strained a supply chain that was already stretched, the WSJ noted.

This supply chain was already impacted by high demand and other issues, experts told CBS News in January.

"Broadly, there are reports of challenges across supply chains, including an impact on transportation and logistics, and some suggestions of pantry-loading behaviors," the Infant Nutrition Council of America told CBS in January. The council did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

Analytics firm IRI, said for the week ending on March 3, retailers across the country were out of stock of baby formula 13% of the time, with anything above 10% traditionally considered a problem, the Journal reported.

Target, Kroger, and Walgreens did not immediately respond to requests for comment.