McDonald’s Japan has canceled its highly sought-after Happy Meal promotion featuring Pokémon cards, citing concerns over food waste and resellers buying up the meals to sell online. The campaign, known as “Happy Sets,” was meant for children but sold out in just one day, with resellers selling the cards online for tens of thousands of yen.
The company apologized for its handling of the situation, stating it did not believe in abandoning food and that it had failed to adequately prepare for the demand. To prevent similar incidents in the future, McDonald’s plans to limit meal purchases per person and end online orders. Those who fail to follow these rules may face service denial.
This marks a significant departure from McDonald’s Japan’s usual 40-year history of selling Happy Meals. The promotion was meant to bring smiles to families and contribute to the wholesome development of children, but instead, it highlighted the issues with food waste and resale on the black market.
Source: https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/mcdonalds-japans-pokemon-card-happy-meals-promotion-unhappy-124601616