Dutch babyfood maker Nutricia is shipping containers of milk powder to China ‘while Dutch shops are dealing with shortages’, the Telegraaf said on Wednesday.

The paper says investigative reporters have uncovered evidence of ‘enormous’ milk powder shipments to China, while deliveries to Dutch supermarkets are cut back.

The shipments mean Nutricia has booked ‘at least €5m more profit’ than it would have done if the milk was sold in the Netherlands, the paper said.

Delivery problems

Meanwhile, Dutch supermarkets report that delivery problems are continuing. ‘They can’t order Nutrilon products and orders which have been placed are not being met,’ a spokeswoman told the paper.

Nutricia has confirmed the shipments to China but told the paper production for the Dutch market has been increased by ‘tens of percentage points’.

At the beginning of this month, baby milk producers and supermarkets met to discuss ways of preventing a looming shortage of milk powder because of demand from China.

Many Dutch shops have limited supplies and are limiting purchases per customer, according to media reports. Nutricia took out adverts in national Dutch papers last week apologising for the shortages.

Investigation

The economic affairs ministry said last week it would investigate exports of milk products to China. But there is no shortage of milk formula in the Netherlands itself, the ministry said.

At the end of last month, it emerged that Chinese investors are planning to build a baby milk powder factory in Assen, in the east of the Netherlands.

The powder would be exported to China to serve local demand. If the deal is finalised, work on the factory will start in January, local council officials said at the time.