CVS, Target, Fry's Limit Baby Formula Purchases

ARIZONA — CVS, Target, Fry's and Walgreens are limiting on how much baby formula customers can buy per visit to stores in Arizona, and across the nation. CVS and Target told the Wall Street Journal that customers can only purchase three infant and toddler formula products per visit in-store or online.

The nationwide shortage of baby formula was caused by multiple factors, including supply chain issues and formula recalls.

On Tuesday, Walgreens told Patch it was enforcing the policy at all of its more than 9,000 locations across the United States. The Deerfield-based company has more than 230 stores in Arizona.

"Due to increased demand and various supplier challenges, infant and toddler formulas are seeing constraint across the country," a Walgreens spokesperson told Patch. "Similar to other retailers, we put into effect purchase limits of three per transaction on all infant and toddler formula to help improve inventory. We continue to work diligently with our supplier partners to best meet customer demands."

CVS currently has around 200 locations in Arizona, while the state has around 45 Target stores.

A Walmart representative told WSJ the company already has a five-per-day product purchase limit on baby formula in most states.

In February, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced an investigation into consumer complaints of Cronobacter sakazakii and salmonella newport infections following a number of reported cases. Among the cases, two infants died of illnesses from Cronobacter sakazakii, a rare and dangerous germ that is particularly deadly to infants. All the cases are reported to come from consumed powdered infant formula produced from Abbott Nutrition's Sturgis, Michigan, facility.