"Although the government has more strict supervision on the quality of baby food in recent years, I still choose import product for my child." Mr. Chen said. He is father of a 2-year-old boy.
In 2008, the incident of Sanlu milk powder made people realised the importance about baby food. The milk powder was found containing melamine which can cause lethal damage to infants' health. According to China's health ministry's report, about 300,000 babies were affected. Some media reported that six infants died from kidney stones.
"Nearly 53,000 Chinese children sick from milk."(The Times. London. Retrieved 2 April 2010).
Most consumers lost confidence in domestic infant formula milk powder. Many parents try to buy overseas product because they believe it's safe. There was a moment that the milk powders in many western countries were sold out. Therefore, many countries begin to set limitation on purchasing baby milk powder.
Today Chinese parents are still willing to buy import baby product for their children. Mr. Chen thinks although the price of import baby food is much higher than domestic product, children's health is top-priority. Except directly buying from supermarket, many of them ask friends to bring back abroad.
The incident of Sanlu has made people become serious about baby's food. Major part of parents choose import food for their babies.
Online shopping has become another approach. Buying baby food on the foreign online shopping platform is a good choice for many parents in China.
"It is cheaper than buying in the supermarket, and more convenient than asking friends," Ms. Chang said. Her child is 3 years old. It is not too much for her child to drink milk powder. She needs to order complementary foods like carrot paste or tomato paste from overseas website a month ahead to receive in time.
Ms. Chang thinks that the quality of most foreign brands is secured. "It is obvious that most of Chinese parents believe in foreign products. It is understandable. Children's health is most important for a family."
Ms. Chang said:"I usually choose Australian or New Zealand milk powder and supplementary food from German."
Recently the panic buying of baby milk seems to come to an end. However, the announcement of two children policy will increase the requirement of baby food again.
