A mainland Chinese packs a bag with baby formula as he queues up to get his packages weighted at the Sheung Shui train station prior to his journey back to mainland China.   Hong Kong is mulling to make baby formula a “reserved commodity” to ensure sufficient supply, an official said.

AFP/Hong Kong

Hong Kong is considering designating baby formula a “reserved commodity” to ensure sufficient supply, an official said yesterday, after mainland Chinese who flocked to buy it sparked shortage fears.

Hundreds of mainlanders have been stuffing tins of the baby milk powder into large bags and boxes near train stations at the border in recent days, part of a shopping spree before Lunar New Year that starts on February 10.

While business has been especially brisk recently, the so-called parallel traders have been travelling to border areas of Hong Kong from mainland China for months, sparking complaints about congestion and shortages in stores.

The traders travel to Hong Kong by train to stock up on goods ranging from iPhones to cosmetics, taking advantage of lower prices and wider choice in the city and dodging import tariffs on their return to the mainland.

Baby formula is especially popular because of concern about the safety of food processed in mainland China following a series of scandals.

The shopping spree has prompted concerns from local mothers and others.

Now the government says it is considering a lawmaker’s proposal to make infant milk powder a protected item to control exports and imports.

“We are making an internal study about the proposal,” a government spokeswoman said.