TOKYO: McDonald’s Japan has issued an apology after a promotional campaign offering limited-edition Pokemon cards with Happy Meals led to chaotic scenes and public anger.
The campaign, which launched last Friday, quickly spiralled out of control as collectors and resellers rushed to buy meals in bulk.
Cards featuring the beloved “little monsters” are highly sought after, with some rare editions fetching millions of dollars in the collector’s market.
Social media erupted with complaints as images surfaced showing long queues at McDonald’s outlets and discarded food in plastic bags.
Some users criticised resellers for bulk-buying meals just to obtain the cards, leaving children unable to get Happy Meals.
“I couldn’t buy a Happy Meal for my daughter because of these people,“ one frustrated parent posted on X.
Others condemned the waste, with one user questioning, “They go to great lengths to collect them and then throw away food ... for how much profit?”
McDonald’s had initially set a limit of five meals per person but acknowledged that some customers bypassed the rule for resale purposes.
In a statement on Monday, the company admitted to “resale-driven mass purchases” resulting in food being discarded.
The fast-food chain pledged to enforce stricter purchase limits and crack down on intimidating behaviour towards staff.
McDonald’s also vowed to work with e-commerce platforms to curb unauthorised reselling of the promotional items.
This is not the first time such issues have arisen, with past collaborations, including manga series “Chiikawa,“ facing similar problems.
The backlash has led some to sarcastically rename the campaign “Unhappy Meals.” – AFP
