• USA The company that caused the shortage of powdered milk in the US resumes its production after almost four months of suspension

The lack of tampons on U.S. shelves is the latest sign of a supply crisis complicating everyday life, adding to the worrying lack of infant formula.

Pharmacy chains

CVS

and

Walgreens

have confirmed to Afp ​​that in certain locations there is no

stock

of some brands of tampons, and that they are working to replace them as soon as possible.

Procter & Gamble

, which makes the Tampax line

of

these

products, notes that consumers may not be able to get their tampons in US stores, but they are producing "24 hours a day to meet growing demand."

A spokesman for

Edgewell

, maker of

Playtex

and

OB

tampons and

Carefree

and

Stayfree panty liners

, has acknowledged inventory problems due to

"major labor shortages" caused by two Covid-19 outbreaks

at a US plant in the United States. late 2021 and at a Canadian supplier earlier this year.

The company assures that they anticipate "returning to normal levels [of production] in the coming weeks."

Kimberly-Clark

, a company that makes a variety of products including

Kotex

tampons , has told AFP that it has not experienced any shortages in its inventory.

Preventive storage in homes

Patrick Penfield

, a specialist in supply chain management at Syracuse University, says that

demand has increased recently

, particularly due to additional purchases by consumers who see shortages of certain brands and fear they won't. get the products.

Pienfield likens this phenomenon to stockpiling toilet paper in bulk at the start of the pandemic, adding that some industries are struggling to operate at full capacity due to understaffing or waves of Covid-19.

But the tampon shortage is different from the shortage of baby formula, which was initially caused by supply chain problems and labor shortages but was exacerbated when manufacturer Abbott closed a Michigan plant in February and ordered a product recall after the deaths of two infants raised poisoning concerns.

As for tampons, "factories are operating," says Penfield, who estimates a return to normal within the next six months.

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