McDonald's Japan Cancels Pokemon Happy Meal Promotion Amid Collector Frenzy and Food Waste
McDonald's Japan canceled its Pokemon card Happy Meal promotion due to overwhelming collector demand, leading to rapid sell-outs and significant food waste as people bought meals solely for the exclusive cards.
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Overview
- McDonald's Japan launched a Happy Meal promotion featuring exclusive Pokemon cards, primarily intended for children, which unexpectedly drew massive attention from adult collectors.
- The promotion experienced an unprecedented sell-out within a single day across Japan, as large crowds purchased multiple Happy Meals to secure the limited-edition cards.
- This intense collector demand resulted in substantial food waste, with many individuals discarding the food items after obtaining the highly sought-after Pokemon cards.
- Due to the overwhelming frenzy and the issue of discarded food, McDonald's Japan made the decision to abruptly cancel the popular Happy Meal promotion.
- Happy Sets, typically costing around $3.50 and including food, a drink, and a toy, faced an unhappy end in Japan because of the unforeseen collector behavior.
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Analysis
Center-leaning sources cover the story neutrally, focusing on factual reporting of consumer demand for McDonald's promotional items. They describe the scale of public reaction and the operational challenges faced by the chain without injecting editorial judgment. The coverage highlights the popularity of the items and the resulting customer behavior across various campaigns.
"McDonald's Japan launched Happy Meals with special Pokémon trading cards, and fans went wild."
Business Insider"The meals, called Happy Sets in Japan, were meant for children but resulted in mounds of wasted food found near the stores after resellers rushed to buy them and discarded the food."
ABC NewsArticles (3)
Center (2)
FAQ
McDonald's Japan canceled the Pokémon Happy Meal promotion early due to overwhelming demand driven mainly by adult collectors and scalpers, which caused rapid sell-outs and significant food waste as many people discarded the food after obtaining the cards.
The promotion caused chaotic crowds with many scalpers buying large quantities of Happy Meals for the exclusive Pokémon cards, leading to unruly situations that required police intervention and resulted in discarded food piling up inside and outside restaurants.
McDonald's Japan has issued official apologies and plans to implement refusal of sales to suspected scalpers and mobile app account bans to discourage mass purchases for resale and reduce food waste.
The promotion included exclusive Pokémon Trading Card Game cards featuring popular characters like Pikachu with unique artwork, stamped with the McDonald's logo, which were highly sought after by collectors and scalpers.
Customers and fans expressed disappointment and frustration over the early cancellation, while also condemning the resale activity and food waste. Social media posts showed sympathy for McDonald's staff and criticism of scalpers' behavior.
History
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