Baby formula rip-off: Elaborate buying syndicate exposed
An elaborate baby formula rip-off has been exposed in a Sydney supermarket.
In a video given exclusively to 9News by 2GB’s Ben Fordham, an organised group of shoppers can be seen waiting for new tins of baby formula stock to arrive at the Hurstville Woolworths.
One by one members of the group buy the maximum personal limit of two cans, before dumping them in trolleys outside the store and returning to purchase more.
Coles and Woolworths recently limited purchases of baby formula to two tins, to try and stop it from being bought in bulk and sold overseas at inflated prices. Some sellers can make more than $100,000 a year.
“We were appalled at it, as were other people that were standing there,” shopper Janet Hill said.
Ms Hill and her daughter Alisha filmed the vision.
“It’s not that we have problems with them buying it. It’s that they sell it overseas for two-three times the price. That’s the problem we have. They’re ripping off their own people,” Alisha Hill said.
The Hills said the shelf at Woolworths Hurstville was completely cleared of tins, despite signage in both English and Chinese warning of the limit.
“Once the shelves were empty, it was like a mass exodus. They all raced off with their trolleys,” Janet Hill said.
A decade ago, six babies in China died and some 300,000 fell ill from kidney stones and other complications after drinking Chinese infant formula containing melamine.
