在代购、海淘增长迅猛的冲击下，婴幼儿配方奶粉行业竞争白热化，而随着奶粉企业不断试水电商，奶粉行业的价格战愈演愈烈，这些因素都在蚕食奶粉企业的利润。贝因美2014年度业绩出炉，利润下降88.88%；由蒙牛控股的雅士利去年净利润则下滑43.1%。
相关数据显示，2014年奶粉的销售吨数为700万吨，营业额出现4.2%的增长，与往年10%至20%的增长率相比显得有些落寞。
数据显示，以出厂价计算，2014年婴幼儿配方奶粉的销售额是700亿元，其中通过海淘代购的为100亿元，前20家企业的销售额是500亿元，剩下的企业占据了100亿元。
过去一年外资奶粉品牌的市场份额首度出现下滑，AC尼尔森公布的数据显示，销量排名前十的品牌中，内资奶粉品牌在数量上几乎与外资品牌持平。
尽管如此，中国巨大的市场潜力依然吸引着外资奶粉品牌不断加码，近年来欧洲奶粉品牌不断涌入中国市场，其中不乏一些高端品牌，中国奶粉品牌的售价也不断刷新，目前市场上售价最高的奶粉是荷兰海普诺凯1897婴幼儿配方奶粉，每罐的零售价达到了458元/900克。为了在中国市场获得更长远的发展，外资奶粉纷纷通过不同方式加码中国市场。连续两年获得市场占有率第一的惠氏营养品今年将在全国20余个城市举办500多场“向母乳致敬”活动，而海普诺凯1897近日宣布和北大启动一项长达两年的科研项目。
另一个趋势性的变化是，在政策的推动下，国内婴幼儿奶粉领域中内外资合作共同发展已经成为一种潮流。雅培和恒天然联合签署协议，计划在中国共同投资兴建一个奶牛养殖基地。全球五大乳业巨头之一的荷兰皇家菲仕兰有限公司与中国辉山乳业控股有限公司也宣布成立合资公司，新西兰新莱特则选择与新希望乳业开展合作。
“婴幼儿奶粉业进入价格下行通道”
自2013年国家发改委对奶粉品牌进行反垄断调查，惠氏、贝因美先后宣布降价，这也拉开了奶粉行业降价潮的序幕，2014年奶粉行业的价格战愈演愈烈，随着君乐宝等奶粉行业的低价搅局者出现以及电商渠道的兴起，奶粉行业的降价方式也越来越多样。
“婴幼儿奶粉行业已经进入价格下行通道，2015年价格战将更加凶猛。”宋亮指出，奶粉行业价格进入下行通道，原因一是产能过剩；其次则是企业试水电商，由于压缩流通环节，价格下行；第三则是中国市场与国际接轨，海淘和代购的冲击。（中国进出口网）
With the impact of the purchasing agents and the overseas shopping, the infant formula industry is stuck in the intense competition, and as companies continue to try e-commerce, the milk industry price war is intensified, these factors have eroded profits in the milk business. In 2014, Beingmate annual profit fell by 88.88%; Ashley Holdings net profit fell by 43.1%.
Data shows that in 2014 milk powder sales reached 7,000,000 tons, turnover increased by 4.2%, compared with 10-20% turnover in previous years, the growth rate was a bit small. "
Data shows that if we make calculation on ex-factory price, sales of in 2014 baby formula sales was 70 billion yuan, in which 10 billion yuan was through the overseas purchasing agents, sales of the top 20 companies was 50 billion yuan, and the remaining enterprises occupied 100 billion.
Over the past year, the market share of foreign milk powder brands declined for the first time, data released by AC Nielsen shows that, among the top ten brands of sales, the number of domestic brands of milk powder is almost as same as the number of foreign brands.
Nevertheless, China's huge market potential still attracts foreign milk powder brands, in recent years, the milk powder brands in Europe continuously enter into the Chinese market, including some high-end brands, while the milk powder price is constantly refreshed, baby formula at the highest price on the market is Hyproca infant formula, the retail price of each tank reach 458 yuan / 900 grams. To obtain a more long-term development in the Chinese market, foreign milk powder brands take different measures to expand the Chinese market. Wyeth Nutritionals will organize more than 500 activities about "a tribute to breast milk" in more than 20 cities this year, while Hyproca1897 recently announced the launch of a two-year research projects under the cooperation with Peking University.
Another trend change in the baby formula is sino-foreign joint venture driven by policy. Abbott and Fonterra signed an agreement, planning to build a dairy cow breeding base in China through joint venture. Royal Dutch Friesland Ltd., one of the world's top five dairy giants, announced to establish a joint venture with China Huishan Dairy Holdings Limited, and the New Zealand Synlait chose to cooperate with the New Hope Dairy.
"Infant formula price into downlink channel"
Since 2013 the National Development and Reform Commission has launched antitrust investigation on milk powder brands, Wyeth and Beingmate US has announced price cuts, which also opened the prelude to the milk industry price cuts, in 2014 the milk industry price war was intensified, with low-cost Junlebao and e-commerce channels, the baby formula price fell.
"The infant formula price has been into downtlink channel, in 2015 the price war will be more ferocious." Song Liang pointed out that the infant formula price has been into downtlink channel, due to overcapacity and e-commerce channels ( the compression of the circulation), moreover, the Chinese market is in line with international standards, and impacted by overseas shopping and purchasing agents.
