Einmilk, which is produced by local company AE Solution has been touted as an affordable alternative to other brands of infant formula sold on the shelves here.
The milk powder is manufactured by SMC nutrition with milk sourced from New Zealand and comes in 4 formulations, with its stage 1 to 3 formulas ranging from S$33 to S$39 for an 800g tin.
It was just launched today.
However, consumers have baulked at its “affordable alternative” tag, considering that Einmilk is only available for purchase at this time by online means (Shopify), or U Stars supermarkets.
Some consumer say that online prices of established brands of milk powder are cheaper than Einmilk.
For example, Friso Gold and Similac Gain IQ.
A check online shows that an equivalent 800g portion of those milk powders cost S$27.50 and S$25 respectively.
Said mom Goh Qiu Tong:
“This is hardly an affordable alternative if you buy milk powder online. If they’re going to call it so, then they should be more sincere about it and drop their prices. Who would choose to pay so much for a new untested brand over other more reputable ones when the prices are almost the same?”
Another mom Ellary Lim, said:
“I think when you consider those parents who can only afford to buy a small tin of milk powder one time at a time, then Einmilk can be called an affordable alternative. But for those parents who stock up for a month’s supply, it’s not really that cheap.”
Einmilk, however, is considerably cheaper than other milk powders that are sold in Singapore supermarkets.
Currently, the rough price of a milk powder for infants stands at S$56 for a 900g tin, or S$49.80 for an equivalent 800g portion.
The government has come under intense fire in recent times from parents for allowing the prices of milk powder to skyrocket.
Over the past 10 years, milk powder prices rose by 120 percent, far out-pacing wage salary growth.
Infant milk formula companies have also been accused of cosy-ing up to private healthcare providers and giving them extravagant gifts such as all-expenses paid holidays and branded handbags to promote their milk products.
Parents have questioned why NTUC Fairprice, which was set up with the aim of supplying Singaporeans with affordable groceries, is selling like-for-like milk powder at more expensive prices than other stores.
