A mom has sparked a huge debate on TikTok after she shared a video of a recent trip to Walmart to buy baby formula. First, the TikToker @djkookum realized the formula was locked behind a glass door. Then she was forced to have a Walmart employee escort her to the cash register to pay for the formula — prompting the internet to offer a collective WTF.
The mom was stunned when she walked into Walmart and realized the baby formula was locked away from customers.
“I can’t believe this,” the mom wrote in the caption for the video, which was posted November 6. “They lock up the baby formula at Walmart.”
The clip shows the TikToker picking up the package behind the glass container — with a Walmart employee in tow.
“We got escorted to the cashier to pay for it,” she added.
The TikToker wasn’t even allowed to finish her shopping before she was escorted to the front register. The Walmart employee even carefully watched the TikToker as she got in line. But the whole thing is sort of awkward.
“WTF Walmart,” she wrote. “Why they lock up the babies [sic] food?” she added in the caption.
People in the comments had thoughts about this strange new policy.
Many people pointed out that shoplifters often steal baby formula.
“I used to work for Walmart and this is because people steal the formula and then try to return it without a receipt or sell it,” one commenter explained. “Employees are affected.”
“This isn’t about theft,” another commenter added. “Baby formula is frequently used to cut drugs.”
“Y’all rlly blaming Walmart instead of the people who steal it?" a third commenter wrote. "If you can’t afford the formula there are ways around it besides stealing.”
But others people were a bit more compassionate.
“If you see someone stealing baby food or diapers look the other way,” one person commented. “Babies are expensive especially without health care.”
“Baby formula should be free or cheap just like pads and tampons,” another person suggested.
While a third commenter swore they wouldn’t follow Walmart’s rules.
“No I’d tell them that I’m not done and they can wait for me if they’re going to escort me to a cashier,” the person wrote.
There’s no clear answer to this puzzling dilemma, but as the TikTok shows, everyone has a different opinion on how to sell baby formula while keeping people safe.
