This heartfelt TikTok trend turned sour after a woman found damaged baby products damaged in stores around the US.
Valeria Diaz, from Chicago, USA, took herself to TikTok in a stormy rant expressing her frustration about rich influencers hiding money inside baby products in supermarkets.
The ‘she deserved the purse’ trend started after a TikTok video went viral.
The trend relates to the struggles of mothers who have to sacrifice their own wants and needs to ensure their kids have the essentials.
The trend originated from a video posted by content creator Denaesha Gonzalez which showed a purse on a shelf and has been viewed over 25.5 million times with thousands of comments from sympathetic viewers and mothers who knew the struggle all too well.
The video soon turned into the ‘She deserved the purse’ trend, where influencers were discreetly placing cash inside of baby products, such as diapers and milk formula, to help support struggling families.
With the trend picking up and multiple influencers jumping on the bandwagon, Valeria said the result of this has left stores taking the products off shelves and limiting the amount parents can buy.
The harmless trend soon turned sour with people raiding the baby aisles of shops in the hunt for the hidden cash.
Valeria said: “I was devastated to see the outcome of a trend that was meant to be helpful.”
As a result, many baby items have been damaged or removed from shelves due to the trend.
Valeria added: “When I walked in the baby aisle, I was looking for medicine for my sick baby when I noticed almost all of the products were broken.
“I immediately realised it was because of this trend.
“I was lucky to find what I needed, but I felt so heartbroken for the parents who wouldn’t be able to.
“She deserved the purse, but she didn’t deserve tampered and broken baby products.”
With the cost of living increasing, it is becoming even harder to afford childcare essentials.
The price of infant formula in the UK has increased by 25% between March 2021 and April 2023 and the cost of feeding a baby on first stage infant formula is between £44 to £89 per month ($57 to $116 per month).
Now with limited products on the shelves, it is even harder for families to provide for their children’s needs.
Valeria added: “I understand that this trend was meant to help others, but in reality, it caused damage.”
She explained: “Hundreds of parents including myself, now have to face a limited quantity of baby products in store due to all the damages.
“In my video, I am showing the destruction caused by the “she deserved the purse trend” on TikTok.
“Many influencers have been slipping in bills ranging from $5-$100 inside of baby products as a nice surprise for mothers in need.”
Valeria noticed $3,000 in damages and over $1,000 baby items damaged.
A heartbreaking result to an innocent trend and once again showing the negative powers of social media.