Retailers

May 20, 2022: the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention listed six Connecticut Counties in the High/Orange category as part of its COVID-19 Community Levels Map. Only Fairfield and Tolland Counties are listed in the Medium/Yellow category. Residents in these counties should wear a mask indoors in public; stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines and get tested if they have symptoms. Additional precautions may be needed for residents who are at high risk for severe illness. Visit the CDC COVID-19 Community Levels Map for updates.

Retailers

RECALL ALERT UPDATES

May 11, 2022

Please click HERE for a list of comparable formulas that participants can purchase with their WIC cards if they have benefits for the affected Similac products.

Please make sure that your store computer systems are updated daily with the most recent version of the APL. This will allow successful transactions and help your customers using WIC cards receive the formula that they need.

The State WIC Office and the WIC Local Agencies are receiving complaints that some stores are not allowing the comparable brands that are currently allowed as temporary substitutions. Please have your store managers ensure that cashiers are scanning all products and having the customer swipe their WIC card to determine if a purchase is allowed. If a purchase is declined, WIC participants have been instructed to submit their card number and a photo of the attempted product, plus the store and location where the attempted purchase was made to the WIC office so that we can determine the cause.

All stores must allow the purchase of a comparable brand until Similac products become available again. These temporary substitutions of certain comparable brands are expected to be allowed until June 30, 2022. Other temporary substitutions of certain comparable brands are expected to be allowed until July 31, 2022. Please review the list of comparable formulas available at the link above for the full details.

Recalled Product Instructions

RETAILERS WHO ORDER DIRECTLY FROM ABBOTT:

For larger vendors who order Abbott products directly from the manufacturer, please follow the "Product Return Instructions from Abbott” found below for directions for how to handle returning recalled Similac formulas to receive credit directly from the company. This communication went to all Retailers who order product directly from Abbott.

RETAILERS WHO ORDER FROM A DISTRIBUTOR:

For vendors who order products through a distributor, please return the recalled products to your distributor for credit. The distributor will then return it to Abbott. Your accounts will be refunded by your distributor using the typical recall process.

Product Return Instructions From Abbott

Action: Returns Instructions to be provided to returns/reclamation coordinator at retail store locations and/or retail distribution centers.

Please take affected product to back room and provide returns instructions to returns/reclamation coordinator. If not available, please provide to department/store manager or distribution center manager.

Product Recall Handling Process (Retail)

• 1 Cases – 11 pallets

Contact ABF by Request at 1-866-643-9477 or abbott@arcb.com to schedule pick-up

You will be provided a Returns Authorization (RA) number from the Carrier

Please put a placard on every box/pallet referencing the RA number

Abbott records the returned product

Abbott issues credit to customer based on product returned

• 12 Pallets or more

Contact Magellan Logistics at 1-844-200-9110 or abbottreturns@magellanlogistics.com

You will be provided a Returns Authorization (RA) number from the Carrier

Please put a placard on every box/pallet referencing the RA number

Abbott records the returned product

Abbott issues credit to customer based on product returned

Additionally, for customers that want to use their backhaul network, this option will also be available.

NOTE: Magellan and ABF will both be providing the Return Authorization number and BOL
If you have any questions, please contact Abbott Customer Service at 1-800-551-5838 Monday through Friday 8:30 – 5:00 p.m. EST

SCAM ALERT: Above are the recommendations from Abbott for returning and getting credit for recalled Similac formula. No one without proper identification should be coming to your store to pick up recalled formula.

Abbott Nutrition has recalled specific lot numbers of the products below. WIC participants are being instructed to bring the recalled products to retailers in exchange for an appropriate replacement in order to obtain continue feeding their infants. Participants should be treated the same as all other customers when following store policy recall procedures with respect to the recall exchange process. Vendors do not need to determine if a product was purchased with WIC benefits as a part of the return/exchange process or require a receipt for the original purchase. Whatever mechanisms a retailer is using to support other customers’ requests for a replacement, which may include, but are not limited to, the same product, a substitute size or type, a substitute product of the same or different brand, store credit, or a cash refund, should apply to our families that shop at that store. The Connecticut WIC Program is working closely with USDA and Abbott and additional information will be posted here as it becomes available.

12.4 oz Similac Advance powder

12.6 oz Total Comfort powder

12.5 oz Similac Sensitive powder

12.5 oz Similac for Spit Up powder

All EleCare Infant powder

All EleCare Jr powder

All Alimentum powder for assistance.

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact any vendor unit staff member at ctwic@ct.gov or call the State WIC Office at 1-800-741-2142

Connecticut WIC Program Service Update

Connecticut WIC has temporarily expanded WIC Approved foods in the Whole Grains category:

More 100% Whole Wheat Bread & Whole Grain Bread options. Sizes 16 up to 24 ounces are WIC approved.

Arnold, Oroweat, Aunt Millie's, Big Y, Country Health, Freihofer's, Koepplinger's, Open Nature, Pepperidge Farm, PICS by Price Chopper, Sara Lee, Signature Select, Stop & Shop, Stroehmann, Village Health, Wonder, Nature's Own.

For vendors wishing to become WIC authorized, the 2022 Open Enrollment period for vendor authorization in the Connecticut WIC Program is CLOSED. The regular Open Enrollment period for 2023 will begin on January 1, 2023 and will be announced here in December 2022.

For currently authorized vendors, the 2022 Renewal application period for vendor authorization in the Connecticut WIC Program has been CLOSED. For vendors whose current authorization period ends on September 30, 2023, information about Renewal 2023 will be available here beginning on April 15, 2023.

Click on the following link for the WIC Vendor Agreement. The vendor agreement does not constitute a license or a property interest. The agreement is in effect for the stated time period only.

You must meet the required minimum inventory at all times, click on the following link to view the Minimum Inventory Requirements:

Minimum Inventory Requirements

Minimum Inventory Checklist

Click on the following link for the WIC Vendor Food Card.

Connecticut has more than 350 authorized Grocery stores and more than 240 authorized Pharmacy Only Stores.

Click on the following link for a list of our authorized vendors:

Authorized Vendor Listing by Town May 2022

Infant Formula Supplier List

An authorized WIC vendor must purchase infant formula from the list of certified distributors provided by the WIC program. You must purchase infant formula from the distributors found on the list linked here. Infant Formula Suppliers List

WIC Approved Contract and Specialized Formula listing: Formula Resources

Retailer Bulletins for October 2021-September 2022:

November 2021 Vendor Agreement Changes and Temporary Fruit & Vegetable Increase

Retailer Bulletins for October 2020-September 2021:

June 2021 BeechNut Recall

Spanish version

May 2021 Fruit and Vegetable Benefit Increase

Retailer Bulletins for October 2019-September 2020:

April 2020 COVID-19 Food Additions

Spanish version

Food Additions UPC List

January 2020 Additions to the WIC Approved Product List (APL)