After going to the doctor for a potential complication, Nicole of @melancholynsex on Twitter purchased a pregnancy test from Walgreens per her doctor's orders.
However, after purchasing the pregnancy test Nicole received a surprising package at her home. It was a "Wonder Box" from the Enfamil baby product company, complete with several cans of formula, bottle nipple samples and other products.
Nicole took to Twitter to share her frustrations, including a picture of the box and its contents.
You can read the entire thread here:
Nicole explained she didn't think Enfamil read the room very well.
"THERE IS A FORMULA SHORTAGE, and yet Enfamil is sending out formula all willy-nilly based on the data you (Walgreens) clearly sold them. Shame on you, Enfamil."
Not to mention other potential issues for customers who might receive these packages.
"Second, what if I were desperately trying to get pregnant and can’t? Wouldn’t this be a kick to the face?!"
"Try this one on: I’m in an abusive relationship and my partner intercepts this package. Well, now what?!"
"What do you say to the women in states where abortion is now illegal? Are you trying to make a political statement or is this just a big money grab?"
Fellow Twitter denizens were furious with Walgreens, Enfamil and just the situation as a whole.
Nicole also responded to some concerns that showed up in the thread early on.
"I am aware that our data is bought and sold, especially through the use of rewards cards, but this is a lot bigger than sending me a coupon in the mail, so I thought it was worth noting."
"It was mentioned that another purchase not at Walgreens may have triggered this package. While I am open to that possibility, there are literally ZERO baby things in my life. There are not even KID things in my life."
"I will add, that I did pay using my iPhone with a Bank of America Visa."
"Also, some folks have no choice but to use these [rewards] cards as they are on a budget. Not everyone has the luxury of protecting their privacy."
"I’ve seen a lot of people talking about how this is pushing formula over breastfeeding. I can’t speak to that, but I will say I support feeding your baby in the best way possible, whatever that looks like for you. There is no formula-shaming here."
While privacy breaches and information being shared between companies are nothing new, they are still frustrating practices for consumers.
But this feels like a whole new level of problematic.
Just as Nicole pointed out, a person could be in an unsafe situation or even be struggling to have a child, so sending out a package like this would be wildly inappropriate for them.
