Overview

• McDonald’s Japan ended its Pokémon Happy Meal card giveaway early, apologizing after resellers emptied stock and discarded the food.
• Photographs showed piles of uneaten burgers, fries and drinks dumped outside stores and on pickup tables, prompting public outrage over food waste.
• Each meal included a two-card set – an exclusive Pikachu plus a random character – but scalpers listed individual cards online for about $25–$40 each.
• McDonald’s Japan plans to impose purchase caps, ban mobile and delivery orders for the promotion, and deny service to repeat bulk buyers.
• The company will work with e-commerce and app platforms to detect and deter resale-driven hoarding in future tie-up campaigns.