Attorney General James Delivers Over $90,000 Worth of Baby Formula to Capital Region Families

NEW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James today announced the donation of more than 600 cases of baby formula worth over $90,000 from supplier Marine Park Distribution, Inc. (Marine Park) for families in the Capital Region. The donation of five pallets of baby formula is part of the $675,000 worth of formula that Attorney General James secured as a result of the Office of the Attorney General’s (OAG) investigation into Marine Park and its affiliate Formula Depot, Inc. (Formula Depot) for illegal price gouging during the nationwide formula shortage in 2022. At times, Marine Park doubled the price of a can of formula, charging its customers up to $36 for a can of formula that cost $18 before the shortage. The donation was delivered to the Regional Food Bank in Latham to be distributed to families in the Capital Region.

“Businesses cannot take advantage of an emergency to jack up prices for essential goods and rip off New Yorkers,” said Attorney General James. “Marine Park and Formula Depot’s price gouging put families at risk, and today we’re ensuring New Yorkers in need get justice. This formula will benefit families across the Capital Region, and I will continue to enforce our laws to protect New Yorkers from price gouging.”

“We are incredibly grateful to Attorney General James for this donation of baby formula,” said Michael-Aaron Poindexter, Chief Program Officer of the Regional Food Bank. “With food insecurity rates throughout our service area at 12.2 percent, this donation will provide much-needed support and peace of mind to families across our communities. It's a powerful reminder of what we can accomplish when we come together to support our neighbors in need.”

In 2022, Abbott Laboratories closed one of its baby formula manufacturing plants and recalled formula produced there, creating significant hardship for families throughout New York and the nation as formula supplies dwindled and prices rose. Abbott produces over 40 percent of the infant formula sold in the United States, and the plant it closed was responsible for approximately one fifth of total U.S. production.

New York’s price gouging laws prohibit vendors from unconscionably increasing prices on goods that are vital to consumers’ health, safety, or welfare during market disruptions such as the 2022 formula shortage. In May 2022, Attorney General James issued warnings to more than 30 retailers across the state to stop overcharging for baby formula after consumers reported unreasonably high prices.

An OAG investigation found that Marine Park, which sells baby formula to retailers, and Formula Depot, which sells to consumers online, raised prices over 60 percent more than was allowed under the law during the shortage, generating hundreds of thousands of dollars more in revenue. One consumer, who relied on Formula Depot for formula safe for babies with milk and soy allergies, bought a case of formula for $190, only to be charged $245 for the same case just a few weeks later.

As a result of OAG’s investigation, Marine Park and Formula Depot must provide $675,000 of baby formula that Attorney General James will donate to New Yorkers in need by November 2025. In addition, the two companies are barred from future price gouging and have paid a $75,000 penalty to the state. In December 2024, Attorney General James made the first formula donation from the settlement of 3,300 cans of baby formula worth about $140,000 to Foodlink in Rochester. In March 2025, Attorney General James delivered $344,000 worth of formula to families in the Bronx.

Attorney General James is a leader in the fight to protect New York consumers and guard against price gouging. This week, Attorney General James secured the donation of over $13,500 worth of baby formula from supplier Paragon for families in Brooklyn. Earlier this month, Attorney General James secured over $13,500 worth of baby formula for Rochester families. In March 2025, Attorney General James delivered $6,300 worth of formula for families in Brooklyn. In October 2024, Attorney General James led a multistate coalition urging Congressional leaders to support a national ban on price gouging. In March and April 2024, Attorney General James distributed over 9,500 cans of baby formula in Buffalo and New York City from a settlement with Walgreens for price gouging during the formula shortage. In May 2023, Attorney General James secured a $100,000 settlement with Quality King Distributors, Inc. due to unconscionable price increases for Lysol products during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. In April 2021, Attorney General James delivered 1.2 million eggs to food pantries throughout the state which were secured as part of an agreement with the nation’s largest egg producers for price gouging in the early months of the pandemic.

New Yorkers should report potential concerns about price gouging to the OAG by filing a complaint online or calling 800-771-7755.

This matter was handled by Assistant Attorney General Benjamin C. Fishman, under the supervision of Bureau Chief Jane M. Azia and Deputy Bureau Chief Laura J. Levine, all of the Consumer Frauds and Protection Bureau. Former Data Scientist Jasmine McAllister also assisted in this matter, under the supervision of Director of Research and Analytics Victoria Khan, Deputy Director Gautam Sisodia, and former Director Megan Thorsfeldt. The Consumer Frauds and Protection Bureau is a part of the Division for Economic Justice, which is led by Chief Deputy Attorney General Chris D’Angelo and is overseen by First Deputy Attorney General Jennifer Levy.