Pokémon Happy Meal Promotion Halted Early at McDonald’s Japan Amid Scalper Surge and Food Waste

Pokémon Happy Meal Promotion Halted Early at McDonald’s Japan Amid Scalper Surge and Food Waste Over the past weekend, McDonald’s restaurants across Japan encountered unexpected challenges during a highly anticipated Pokémon Happy Meal collaboration.

The promotional event—offering exclusive Pokémon cards with Happy Meals—was met with overwhelming demand, leading to the campaign’s abrupt early closure.

Originally intended to run from August 9th to August 11th, the promotion was suspended after just 24 hours due to surging sales and the involvement of scalpers seeking to resell collectible Pokémon trading cards. According to reports from Yahoo Japan and widely circulated social media photos, customers flocked to McDonald’s locations nationwide, driven by both legitimate enthusiasm and a desire to secure the limited-edition Pokémon cards for resale.

The aftermath was stark: store counters stacked with uneaten Happy Meals, purchased solely for the cards inside.

This large-scale food wastage drew swift criticism from both the public and advocates for responsible consumer practices. In a formal statement, McDonald’s Japan issued an apology to fans, noting the company’s regret at not being able to fulfill customer expectations following the early termination of the campaign.

The company further requested that customers "refrain from contacting stores regarding stock availability," highlighting the strain the promotion had placed on operations and staff. The company’s attempt to mitigate scalping—by limiting purchases to five Pokémon Happy Meals per customer—was ultimately bypassed, as some individuals brought in multiple accounts or made repeat visits to maximize their haul.

Notably, one customer reportedly attempted to purchase 40 Happy Meals in a single transaction.

According to Campaign Asia, tensions rose high enough in some stores that authorities were contacted, as disputes erupted over suspicions of bulk buying for scalping purposes. Online, evidence of the fallout proliferated, with social media posts showing discarded food and large stacks of unopened Happy Meal items.

This not only underscored the environmental impact but also cast a spotlight on the broader scalping problem that has plagued the Pokémon Trading Card Game (TCG) globally.

Scalping incidents surrounding kick-off events for the Pokémon TCG have previously led to similar scenes in the United States and the United Kingdom, prompting some regions—including McDonald's UK—to adopt more stringent distribution measures in subsequent campaigns. The Pokémon Happy Meal collaboration demonstrates the enduring popularity of Pokémon as a franchise and the challenges major brands face handling high-demand promotions in the age of online resale culture.

Both the Nintendo brand and McDonald’s remain committed to delivering popular experiences, but the recent event signals a need for further innovation in managing promotional campaigns to reduce waste and protect genuine fans from opportunistic scalpers.

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