Mayor Eric Adams declared a state of emergency in the city as a nationwide infant formula shortage continues to impact families.

In practice, the declaration will allow the city's Department of Consumer and Worker Protection to prevent price gouging by limiting the pricing of certain goods to 10% above the price consumers could have bought them at 30 to 60 days prior to the state of emergency.

Fines for price gouging start at $260 for a first offense and go up to $350 per offense after the third violation, according to the city's administrative code.

"The nationwide infant formula shortage has caused unimaginable pain and anxiety for families across New York - and we must act with urgency," Adams said in a statement. "This emergency executive order will help us to crack down on any retailer looking to capitalize on this crisis by jacking up prices on this essential good. Our message to struggling mothers and families is simple: Our city will do everything in its power to assist you during this challenging period."

Adams' office also announced the city will undergo a multi-agency effort to improve the flow of formula to New Yorkers with a focus on the those in most need of the products. Details on what each agency would do were not immediately available.

The city cited data from retail pricing database Datasembly that shows over 40% of tristate area retailers are out of formula stock.

The shortage, caused in part by one major producer shutting down a production facility after a recall, has led President Joe Biden to invoke the Defense Production Act to require suppliers of formula ingredients to prioritize their distributions to manufacturers.

New Yorkers overcharged for formula can file a complaint with the city at nyc.gov/dcwp or by calling 311 and saying "overcharge."